This I Know...

Sweet Reminder

2011-07-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Betsy was dedicated at Church yesterday and once again, her middle name rang true as to what an evidence of God's grace she truly is to me. Please don't take this to mean that she is any more important to me than either of my other beautiful children. I love them ALL completely the same. It's just that I was reminded again of why we named her Betsy Grace. It's because the word "grace" has such meaning in our lives, in our marriage.

As Nate asked me if we had ever dedicated Ava, a ton of shame and guilt flooded in with the memories of being in the Church bathroom throwing up from a hangover 10 minutes before we walked her down to dedicate her. I acquired that hangover from a very late night of partying, taking shots with friends. I was stupid, selfish, irresponsible and my priorities were completely out of whack. I remember waking up the next morning physically sick and also emotionally sick about where I had been hanging out that night and all of the money that I had squandered in that dark place.

As shame and guilt starts to seep in through the cracks of my wall of forgiveness and grace through Christ, God sweetly and gently reminds me that I am not that person anymore and that I don't have to feel shame and guilt. I've very quietly cried a few tears in the last several days...but not tears of sadness really. More, I think, tears of thankfulness. Thankful that God forgives and loves, no matter what my life has looked like or still looks like at times. Thankful that I'm able to raise my children from a place of forgiveness and grace and in a manner that glorifies God. Thankful that grace is extended to someone like me, when I so truly don't deserve it.

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

Why I'm Getting (re)Baptized

2011-05-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

I became a Christian when I was 7. Or at least, I got baptized when I was 7. Is there a difference?

I believe there is and this... is why I will be "getting dunked" in Barton Springs on June 5th.

I think there are definitely people (even children) who make a conscious decision to love and follow Jesus and get baptized as a public display of their faith, all at the same time. This was not my experience, however. My commitment to love and follow Christ came about 23 years after I got baptized (ouch)!

I have a very vivid memory of being at Church one night, in the Church I grew up in, and hearing a Sunday School Teacher talk about a prayer we needed to pray to ask Jesus into our hearts so that we could go to heaven. I remember seeing two of my friends, Sara and Emily , walk down to the front of the room to "pray the prayer" and I remember thinking I didn't want to get left out of whatever this was they were doing. (Basically, I didn't want to be going to this place called hell all by myself, right?! I mean, it sounded awful!) I had no concept of the gospel at this time and no idea what grace was or what it meant for Jesus to actually take my place on the cross and die a death that I deserved, so that I could live a life I didn't deserve. It wasn't really about Jesus for me at all, rather about wanting to "fit in"... and live in the clouds rather in some hot fiery dungeon where people are gnashing their teeth at each other. (And I also didn't want some little old Southern Baptist woman mad at me:)

Since then and up until about 3 years ago, I lived a life that was not God-honoring. Much like that of the younger brother in Luke 15:11-32. Because I lived my life that way, I have a greater understanding of God's grace and mercy on my life than I ever did. I have a greater understanding of why Jesus had to go to the cross on my behalf. I have a deeper love for Christ and understand that it is only by His grace that my life looks different than it did, that my marriage looks different than it did. Sometimes, I'll find myself completely overwhelmed with gratitude that He chose to intervene in my life, even if it was painful at the time that He did.

I feel, in a way, that I really just became a Christian a few years ago because that is when I began to understand not only how much God loves me, but also what it cost Him to love me so. Because I now understand (am continuing to understand) that, I want to publicly profess my faith in Christ and also my commitment to love, follow and serve Him in front of my friends, my children, my husband and even people I don't know.

I love what Baptism signifies: It signifies that the person's former way of life has been put to death and in it's place, a new life, in the image of God is resurrected!

I've really been praying about this decision and part of me was hesitant at first, to do this for many reasons: 1. A lot of people at Barton Springs that day probably have a very strong opinion of "Christians" or "Jesus" and don't want a baptism invading their Sunday afternoon. 2. I'm pregnant and not excited about getting out in a swimsuit in front of everyone (I'm hoping a moo moo is an option. If so, I know just where to go. And I won't say any names. Mom and Gran.). 3. I don't like a lot of attention on me.

As I prayed about this decision, I asked God to remove the distractions. As He did, I actually got excited to do this so publicly!

So, I'm not sure if it'll be in a moo moo or an XL maternity swimsuit but I'll be getting baptized at Barton Springs on June 5th!

If I'd Only Known...

2011-04-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

Nate and I have a joke between the two of us that if I had known, the night I met him at Blind Pig Pub, that we'd later have a HUGE testimony, four children and a minivan and that Nate would be a pastor, I'd have run so far in the opposite direction he never would have caught my name.

It's so true.

BUT...I would not have known what I was missing...and I would have been missing A LOT.

I would not have understood the joy I was giving up in raising these three (soon to be four) children with Nate. Or the peace I have in sharing my testimony. Or the best friend I have in my husband. Or the community of people I'm surrounded by and living life with. I might not have known the joy of living for Christ instead of for myself.

This morning, as I make bacon and toast for Jessica before her day of TAKS testing, I am reminded that I'm so thankful for God's greatness. Not just in who He is and because He saves me on a daily basis, but because He knew what He wanted for my life, and it was much much better than what I wanted.

I'm not sure exactly what I wanted back then but I was definitely too selfish to think about having four children, for sure too cool to drive a minivan and absolutely too proud to have a testimony that people might judge me for.

God's plan for our lives is beautiful and gives us infinite joy that no plan of ours could ever match.

I'm feeling thankful for that.

Equipped

2011-03-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

I recently had someone tell me that God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. What a weight lifted off my shoulder in that moment. Here is why:

I grew up in a Christian home. I was in Church on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday nights. I was at every youth group event and every Church potluck. I was a really good "Church go-er." But, I was a terrible Christian. I didn't follow Christ really at all. I followed my social life. I grew up mischievous and rebellious, testing authority any chance I got. In high school I experimented with drugs and sex and partying. I became a single mom at the age of 20. This mildly calmed down when I had Jessica. Mildly. I still continued to follow my social life and love of partying right into marriage and having more children. In 2006 and into 2007, my marriage hit a rock bottom that saved my life.

Nate and I have had many ups and downs. We've lost friends along the way. We've hurt people. We've been hurt. We've hurt each other. At the heart of it all, God met us in a more intimate way than He ever had. Calling us to follow Him. To give up ourselves and really follow Him.

We are doing it so imperfectly. But, we're doing it. And it gives me more joy and peace than I can even explain.

Along the way, we've been told we aren't cut out for ministry and that we don't deserve to be in the ministry. Personally, I'd agree. I don't feel cut out for ministry. I don't feel good enough or equipped enough. I'm so thankful that God doesn't take the advice of people. That He is sovereign and knows what's best for my life and the life of my family. That through Christ, He makes me good enough. That He equips me because He has called me. Nate has preached several times in the last few months and I get encouraging emails about how much his teaching touches people or reaches people.

I had my 15 year high school reunion this past weekend and had several people ask me what my husband does. When I replied (kind of quietly) "he's a pastor", I would get a strange look. One old friend said "how the heck did that happen?" I heard one guy at my table say "I mean, Melissa Jones marries a minister. Who woulda thought?" Nate and I laughed about this the whole night and even some the next morning as we told stories from the night before to my parents. But it reminded me how much God has intervened in my life. And for that, I'm so immensely thankful!

Thank you Lord for continuing to write my story differently than I ever would have. You know best.

Loving the Poor

2011-02-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

I intend to write a much longer blog about my thoughts on the message at ACL this morning and will do so when I can post a link to the message from the ACL website. And, once I feel I've actually processed properly what all I heard. For now, this one blurb from the sermon has really been hitting home with me today and I'd like to share it with you. It was spoken to a congregation by their pastor, Robert M'Cheyne in Scotland 150 years ago. In my opinion, he nailed it.

“I fear there are some Christians among you to whom Christ can say no such thing (“Come thou blessed….and inherit the kingdom “ from Mathew 25:34). Your haughty dwelling rises in the midst of thousands who have scarce a fire to warm themselves at, and have but little clothing to keep out the biting frost: and yet you never darkened their door. You heave a sigh, perhaps, at a distance, but you do not visit them. Ah! My dear friend! I am concerned for the poor but more for you. I know not what Christ will say to you in the great day……I fear there are many hearing me who may know well that they are not Christians, because they do not love to give. To give largely and liberally, not grudging at all, requires a new heart, an old heart would rather part with it’s life-blood than it’s money. Oh my friends! Enjoy your money; make the most of it; give none away; enjoy it quickly for I can tell you; you will be beggars throughout eternity.” - Robert M'Cheyne

Christmas

2010-12-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, when you think of Christmas, you think of scenes like this that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You won't find anyone who loves Christmas more than I do. I love the time of year...the smells, the lights, the cold weather, the music, homemade egg nog, shopping for family and making Christmas memories for my three girls. My favorite movies are The Family Stone and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It is my absolute favorite time of year.

When I think of Christmas, I think of driving around looking at Christmas lights with my parents when I was young. I think of opening presents at Nanee's house in my pajamas in the kids room and then sneaking into the adult room as they opened all of their gifts and had so much fun laughing at them. I specifically remember my mom holding up a pair of XXXL silk panties from Eckerd Drug Store that Nanee had gotten her. And then there were the gifts that Nanee handed out that she "purchased in Italy" that clearly had a Wal Mart sticker on the bottom. My dad got that awful box of Stetson cologne and aftershave every year and actually wore it. I would watch from the background as all of the adults laughed so hard there were tears. I remember the smell as you walked into Nanee and Paw Paw's house and the snow village that filled up three mantles the size of the wall. I remember the feeling of comfort as everyone lounged around watching football. I remember creeping into the kitchen to sneak dessert when Nanee wasn't watching. I remember Paw Paw popping our toes and Henry's game of Airade. I remember Kim smoking out the living room and Kirby and Dad breaking something in the house that Paw Paw told them to hide from Nanee. So many memories...good memories.

But it's just been this year that I've really been able to reflect on not only the memories but the real reason for Christmas. I know, I know. YOu're tuning out not because I'm just another Christian talking about the "reason for the season". But honestly, as a Christian, I've never, as much as this year, realized that Christmas is so much more than all of these wonderful memories and the new memories we are making with our girls. It's a celebration. A celebration of the birth of our Savior. A Savior that came to earth as a baby (blows my mind), lived life as a normal human being like myself (although not quite like myself considering he was sinless), died a death he did not deserve, to give me eternal life.

This is my savior. He is why Christmas exists. Christmas is a celebration of His birth and a time to reflect on what He has meant to me, to you. It's a time to reflect on the blessings he has poured out on my life. It's also a time to think of those He embraced the most...the poor and needy. And to strive to think of those who are less fortunate more than just this one time a year. To strive to think of them daily and how we can love them as He did.

In the words of Stephen Colbert "If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn’t help the poor, either we’ve got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we’ve got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition — and then admit that we just don’t want to do it.”

Here's to making more wonderful Christmas memories and to remembering why this time of year exists!

Merry Christmas!

So Domestic and All...

2010-10-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been feeling very domestic. I'm not sure if it's the influence of Ree Drummond and my complete obsession with her blog or just the fact that I have three kids and I don't really know how else to be at this point in my life!

I am about to purchase a minivan. I've been cooking (and baking!) like crazy and my house is pretty much spotless. I won't comment on the laundry (but it is neatly piling up in my laundry room).

For some reason, all of this gives me such great satisfaction and comfort. I have always been the first to say I could NEVER stay home and only be a "homemaker" (I hate that name by the way). But, with this third child, my desire to stay home more has become so much stronger and to be honest, has me rather surprised at myself. I have loved cleaning the house and cooking big meals and being the one that gets to pick my kids up from school. I've even had crazy thoughts of...shhhhhh...don't say anything...but...(homeschooling!!!). I mean, have I lost my mind??!! I am completely aware of how crazy that sounds and have no intention of doing this (I'd have the kids skipping school too much) but it's just an example of what a crazy 180 degree turn my desires have taken.

Yesterday morning I baked a cobbler after getting the kids to school and Betsy down for a nap. It was good for my soul. For dinner, I sauteed up a bunch of vegetables and The Pioneer Woman had the most amazing recipe for pan seared mushrooms. The best mushrooms I've ever had. Period.

Here is a recipe I'm going to try tonight: Creamy Cheese Grits with Chilis

Looks so yummy I'm almost drooling on my laptop. With grilled fish and grilled okra. I'll keep you posted...

I'm off to the grocery store...

(See? So domestic and all!)

I'm Married to a Preacher...WHAT??!!

2010-10-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not really married to a preacher. Well, not really.

My husband is on staff at Austin City Life. He is the Director of Missional Communities and oversees the training of the City Group leaders and the forming of new City Groups. He definitely does MUCH more than that but that is his main "job description". On occasion, he preaches. Usually when Jonathan is out of town. I was just informed this morning that he will be preaching once a month. Not that stoked about the stigma that goes along with being married to a pastor. But, I'm also clinging to the fact that he's not really a pastor. (Tell someone I went to high school with that I'm married to someone on staff at a Church and you might witness a real life heart attack.)

But, he has a gift. He has only preached a handful of times and as much as I'd like to tell him he sucks at it so that he never moves into that role full time, he's really great. He is a great communicator. He's passionate. He's simple. He's funny. His stories and way of communicating are attention grabbing. He's just plain good.

In Nate's typical encouraging ways, he started out the message today by encouraging and thanking ACL for being a community and Church unlike any other he's ever been a part of. He told encouraging stories of people in our Church loving each other, practically. Watching each other's kids, starting and volunteering for non-profits that help redeem the city of Austin, doing amazing things with the homeless communities, hanging out in nursing homes,adopting children out of the foster care system, helping each other move, etc. It was cool to hear him say thank you and to tell of how we've seen people's lives change dramatically over the last few years. Mine and his included. These things have only been possible through a relationship with Jesus and a community that challenges each other to apply the gospel to every area of our lives.

I too, am thankful for this community. It is my family.

Thank you Austin City Life and thank you Nate for taking the time to encourage us and remind us that although we have so much more growing to do, we have grown so much. Thank you for pointing us to the gospel and how badly we need God's word so that we have a solid foundation from which to grow.

Something People May Not Know About Me...

2010-10-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have a dream. A secret dream that many people probably don't know about me.

A dream to live on a farm. To own horses and several dogs. A few cows and maybe some chickens. A dream of life more simple. As of late, my dream has been fueled by a certain blog I read. A blog called The Pioneer Woman. I want to be The Pioneer Woman. I want to learn to be an amazing cook and to just take care of my kids and the farm and my animals. I want a front porch swing and a big country kitchen with a stained glass window. Maybe a creek that runs through the back yard.

I know some of you are laughing at me right now and thinking "you wouldn't last a day". But, you have no idea. I have dreamed about this for many many years.

There is a tension between this dream and living missionally in the heart of Austin. I haven't quite figured that part out yet.

But just know that if ever we move into a big house in the country someday...I haven't lost my mind. I've actually had a dream come true.

(Would that mean I can't wear cute shoes?)

Where Has the Time Gone?

2010-08-23T04:50:00.000-07:00

I am sitting up in my living room with the blinds open, watching the sun rise on the 1st day of Jessica's Middle School career. She is not yet awake and part of me is wanting to let her sleep in. Today and every day for the next three years. How did this happen? How is my first born, the child I have almost grown up with, starting Middle School?

Thinking about this has caused me to pray more lately and to talk more openly with Jessica about these next several years coming up. I'm not sure what about Middle School is so frightening to a parent. For me it's that I remember so well the butterflies for boys, drama with girls, hurt feelings, passing notes, being exposed to words and things I'd never heard of and not feeling like I could talk to my parents about them, feeling pressured to have my first kiss and being SCARED TO DEATH, etc...

I remember feeling that all was right with the world because I got cheerleader, but how do I parent a child who might want it so desperately and doesn't get it? How do I parent a child who likes a boy but he doesn't like her back? What advice do I give when she comes home crying because all of the girls decided to be mad at her at school that day for absolutely no good reason (this will happen)? How do I parent her to not be one of the "mean girls"? How do I continue to instill in her kindness...that she needs to be kind to all of the kids, whether the "popular" kids like them or not? How do I teach her that gossiping makes girls ugly, when I struggle with it myself? I am struggling through all of these things and it's not because it's the first time I've thought about them but I feel like my parenting is in some sort of spotlight now...and for the rest of her school years. This time is key. This time begins to shape who my daughter is as a young woman.

Ultimately, I have one fear...that Middle School will change her. Jessica is already kind, sensitive, responsible, humble, loving and obedient. My fear is that the world of Middle School will begin to teach her that those attributes aren't important. That it's more fun to be mean to people and make fun of people and hate your parents because they are stifling all of your fun. That your family that you thought was really cool isn't that cool anymore and you're embarrassed to be seen with them. Oh my gosh...even saying that freaks me out and breaks my heart.

My prayer for Jessica is that God continues to grow her faith in Him. That he protects her and also guides her. I pray that she feels comfortable talking to both Nate and me about ANYTHING and I pray that God gives us the strength to answer those questions with sensitivity and wisdom.

At the heart of it all...I'm scared to death she will go through everything I went through and I want so desperately to protect her from that. But I can't. So today, as I drive her to school, I let go of this suffocating fear and turn my oldest daughter over to God. I should have done that a long time ago but it's taken me going through these thoughts and fears to realize that all of this is out of my control.

I trust you with my child, Lord. Thank you for giving me this amazing opportunity to raise her and bring her up in ways that honor you.

Melissa

Plea for Prayers

2010-07-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Meet my cousin Shari Johnson. She is 39 years old. She lives in Orlando (or right outside of), Florida. Maybe it's called Winter Garden...I can't remember...I always just think of it as Orlando. She is married to my cousin Joel. She graduated from Florida State. She has two small children, Gracie and Jacob. Jacob is 6 and Gracie is 8. They only make it to town for holidays once a year but they are family and they are close family. You can tell from even the small amount of interaction with their family that one time a year that their kids mean EVERYTHING to them. They possess a family bond that is easily seen and felt within five minutes of being in their presence. Joel and Jacob have their "thumbs up" sign with each other and Gracie, in all of her shyness, falls in to security the minute she's in the arms of her mom or dad. They love each other. All of them.

Shari has cancer. She has breast cancer. I know that we don't know a ton but what I do know is that it's cancer and cancer is never good. They did a double mastectomy last week. They were first hoping that it wasn't in the lymph nodes, but it is. Today, they had a pathology report on the nodes they removed and it was worse than they thought. They are starting chemotherapy immediately. Shari's mother died at 41 of breast cancer so I can only imagine that that might be contributing fear and anxiety to this whole situation. Joel and Shari are very strong believers and their faith throughout this entire process is inspiring.

I usually don't use this as a place to ask for prayer requests but tonight, I am going to. Please, if you pray, pray for Shari. Please pray for her husband Joel and their two children, Jacob and Gracie. I believe that my God is a God that heals. I believe that He brings peace and comfort to His people. I believe that because He says it to be true. I'm praying that He makes good on that promise with the Johnson family. Please pray, with me, for that.

Heavenly Father,

I pray for Shari tonight. I pray, Lord, that you will give Joel and Shari a peace that passes all understanding. I pray that you bring comfort that only you can. I pray that you answer questions and give guidance. I ask that you remove confusion in the minds of Jacob and Gracie and that somehow, you can instill in them the confidence, even at their young age, that you are in control and work all things for good. I ask you Lord, most of all, to please heal Shari. I beg you. In the meantime, please wrap your arms around her and comfort her. Let her feel your presence more than she ever has so that if nothing else, this will be a sweet time of communion with you.

Thank you Lord for Shari and what she brings to this family.

We love you and trust you.

Slave Hunter

2010-07-08T09:31:00.001-07:00

I am reading this man's book right now, called Slave Hunter. I can usually read a book in a day or two. With this book, it's taking me forever. I think mostly because it's heavy. It's heavy to read about things going on around the world that we all really just don't have a clue about. And if we have heard about them or do have somewhat of a clue, it sure is easy to kick back in our nice, comfortable homes with food on the table and healthy kids and not enough hangers for our clothes, and pretend we don't.

It's not that I think that we are really terrible people here in America who just don't give a rip. I'm sure there are people like that, but I'm not insinuating that's how we are as a whole. I just think that it becomes so overwhelming to care. To think that there are young girls, not much older than my Ava and definitely younger than my Jess, being sold into slavery for $20 and being shot up with drugs and raped and beaten many times a day, is unthinkable. But, it's happening. And, it's not JUST happening in other countries...it's happening in OUR country. Read this article, which gives quite a few statistics about Sex Trafficking in the United States. It reports that between 18,000 and 20,000 people are trafficked into the United States each year with close to 10,000 of those being victims of the Sex Trafficking Industry. It also talks about the Sex Industry (prostitution, the sale of women and children through sex trafficking, the sale of child pornography, etc) and how it brings in annual revenues between $7billion and $57billion EACH YEAR!!!!

I don't know what the solution is. I don't even like to think about it. It's not fun. It's depressing and heavy and solemn. But, I love that Aaron Cohen is making a difference. Maybe it's in small ways but, he's doing something. He didn't just read about it and feel sad for a moment...he's making a freaking difference. He's walking into Cambodian brothels, risking his own life, to help save these girl's lives. I'm in awe of people like this. They give up the luxuries we wouldn't DARE consider giving up to...help other people. It blows my mind.

Thank you, Aaron Cohen, for being the kind of person some of us wish we could be but don't have the guts to be.

PS...at the very least...please go to Abolish Slavery and donate or sponsor a victim that's rehabilitating.

We've Seen a Side of Love Most People Never Get to See

2010-07-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I am ashamed of my testimony. Sometimes, I don't want to tell my story. Sometimes I think of my story as sad and ugly. I think about the different tiers of my testimony...my rebellious youth, my pregnancy out of wedlock, my years of hard partying and then my marriage and the lows we have had in that.

The other night, Nate and I got a chance to sneak out of the house for a couple of hours because my dad was staying the night. We went to Apothecary in our neighborhood and sat at a table by the windows and just talked. It was a couple of hours of pretty intense conversation. Talk about our families, the lows in our marriage, our kids...there were even a few tears shed (seriously not that many)...just a few:) When we got in the car, Nate said to me "man, this is the real deal. When you can sit and talk for hours about painful stuff...differences, family dysfunction, lows in your marriage...and you walk out still completely in love with the person...that's the real stuff. We're strong. We've seen a side of love most people never get to see."

That last sentence stuck with me. Like glue. I have thought about it every day since. I mean, all of it stuck with me but that one sentence "we've seen a side of love most people never get to see", really made an impression on me. I think mainly because to me, it sounded like he was saying we've had the privilege of experiencing a love that people would want but don't get to experience. It made me view "my story" differently. It made me realize again that it's a beautiful story. It's a true story of love and redemption and restoration.

How cool is it that our God can take such broken people, broken marriages and broken dreams and give them new life? A beautiful life.

I am thankful for that. Are you?

Church Announcements Say A Lot About a Church

2010-05-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

I meant to blog about this a couple of weeks ago and just forgot in the chaos that is my life.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a proud "mom moment" however, it wasn't one of my kids that made me proud. It was my Church. I can only assume I feel this way about my Church because I have been there since close to the beginning and have watched it grow since it was a wee little one.

I am sitting there next to a girl who has never been before and who is skeptical about "Church" to begin with and my husband gets up to give the announcements.

Here they were:

Porn Again Christian- the guys in our Church will be going through a book written by Mark Driscoll called Porn Again Christian at The Gingerman Pub on Monday nights.

Santa Rita Courts- We, as a Church, are going to throw a huge backyard bash at the oldest projects IN THE COUNTRY on the east side of Austin. We will be serving this community food, playing a three on three basketball tournament with them, hanging with the kids, face painting and will have bands playing music.

Uganda- We have a missions team that will be going to Uganda for a couple of weeks in the summer. Please talk to Mary Monkton or Justin Hroch about going, if you are interested.

Adopt a Missionary Program- We have a new program that our City Groups will be taking on where each CG adopts a missionary. We email that missionary, commit to praying for that missionary, skype with that missionary, send care packages to that missionary and if we feel called to do so, help financially support that missionary. Basically, we become like a family to them and support them however they need support.

Last week...we had a missional spotlight from the Nixon's who have been helping the Schleuter's love on a group of homeless people here in Austin. They are letting these people into their homes to take showers, eat dinner and help do work around the house. They have started a new ministry called Renew, where they have taught the homeless how to make art out of trash. They are selling them at a booth on Congress at First Thursday. The coffee tables they made were UH-MAZING!! Want one!

I'm sitting there thinking..."this is such an awesome church". The word "porn" doesn't get mentioned in Churches very often and the fact that there is a pretty big group of guys that show up each time Nate goes through this book at The Gingerman, is really really cool to me. It shows that there are men who can get honest with their sin/struggles, share them with other men, and fight that sin together. I love it. I love that my husband doesn't think twice when asked to lead it. It's a pretty vulnerable spot to be in.

The Santa Rita Courts Backyard Bash was AWESOME! We had over 200 people show up and went through hundreds of burgers and hot dogs. We played with children who looked like they'd never played a game in their life. They were giddy over the face painting and by the end of the day, they were painting us! There were 6 year old girls that held Betsy better than I did (I'm assuming they get lots of practice with younger siblings) and little boys that wouldn't let go of my legs when I would try to walk. They were STARVING to be touched, to play games, to have a conversation, to tell you their name. I loved it and am talking with my friend Tara right now about starting a women's Bible Study over there.

I don't know as much about the trip to Uganda this summer but I know the team that went last year said it was life changing. I have seen the video and I wanted to go this year so bad but can't leave Betsy for two weeks yet. Maybe next year!

The Adopt a Missionary Program has been great for our City Group so far. We have a missionary named Heather and she is a missionary among the Shan people. She is AMAZING and her sacrifice in the name of Christ is so inspiring. It has changed the way Nate and I view our lives and our family mission and has spurred many conversations, since meeting her last week, about what true sacrifice is. I am so excited to get to know her more and pray for her as she prepares to return to Myanmar.

I love my Church. And it's announcements.

Begging for More

2010-05-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

I had a fun girl's night out last week...for about an hour and a half before Nate started texting me wanting to know "where I was". Betsy woke up and wouldn't go back to sleep. (Let's just say they're both up "shoot's" creek if I ever die in a car wreck.) However, that's not at all why I'm writing.

I was challenged by my three lovely friends (ahem...Amy, Hannah and Megan), to update my blog more often. I don't really update it often enough for a couple of reasons: one...my life is rather redundant and two...I had no idea people actually read it. No one EVER comments. It's a good thing I don't find my value in how many comments by blog posts get!

We spent the evening here laughing over stories and sneaking sips of wine from each other's glasses when the person wasn't looking. We got giddy over the idea of starting a book club with each other. Three of us have read the book "The Help" (which you can read about here) and so we are starting to discuss that book tonight over more wine.

So...in light of these girls thinking I have a little bit of talent in the writing department, I have decided to set a goal to blog at least twice a week. I know it's not a lot but it's a start.

Letter to Jessica, Ava and Betsy

2010-05-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

So, Mother's Day is coming up this week. It has been a morning of reflection for me as I think about that and what it stands for. It is a day set aside to honor our mothers. Some mothers are definitely worth honoring...and some aren't. My mom is a mom worth honoring mainly for her love for my brother and me. She and my dad raised us in a Christian home and for that I am the most thankful.

My reflections today have been mainly on what my role as a mother to Jessica, Ava and Betsy will mean to them someday. What will they look back on and remember about me? We are given these precious children to raise the best we can and it's so hard and such a big responsibility. Gosh, I know I've messed up so many times already and will mess up so much more but the main thing I want them to take away from my parenting is that I taught them about God's love for them. That he loved them so much that he sent his son to die for their sins. I hope they grasp that someday. It's hard for me to grasp, actually, but I learn more about God's love for me every day.

I have written them a letter to share my feelings about being their mom...

Dear Jessica, Ava and Betsy,

I love the three of you more than I could ever express in words so I'm praying that over your lifetime, my actions will show you.

I hope you remember me for always hugging you, telling you how beautiful you are and how proud I am of you. I hope you remember me reminding you that beauty of the spirit is more important than beauty of appearance. I hope you see me strive to model that and not just say it. I hope you will all feel comfortable talking to me when you are going through tough times and that I was remembered for being a good listener, not just an advice giver. I hope you will come to me when you need prayer. I hope you will trust me and feel safe with me.

I can promise you there will be hard times. You will cry over heartbreak, laugh so hard with friends you almost pee your pants, feel butterflies over a boy. There will be times you feel insecure. Times you feel overwhelmed. Times you feel sad. Times you feel left out. Times you will feel confused.

I am dreading the day I see you heartbroken over a boy. Or crying quiet tears in your room over someone talking about you. I'm praying that I will be graceful in how I love you in those moments.

You will most likely play sports, an instrument, sing in the choir or cheer on your school teams. You will have prom to attend. Homecoming. Football games. Parties.

I can promise you that I will love you through all of these things. I can also promise you that I will mess up. But at the heart of it all...I will love you.

I am praying that along with all of these normal things you will experience, that through it all, you are learning to grasp God's love for you and what the gospel means. This is my strongest prayer for you. It is the most important lesson in life.

I pray that one day I am not just your mother but also your friend.

My heart is busting at the seams with love for you three girls.

~Your Mom

My Husband is Cool

2010-04-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

Not even a year ago, our family was eating Saturday morning breakfast at Austin Diner (one of my faves) and Nate was tossing around the idea "what would it look like if local musicians could find a way to give of their time and talent to benefit the city they live in?". As he's talking out loud to himself about this I'm thinking "Oh, uh uh, yeah. That sounds great", which could have been translated as "Gosh, I freaking love this french toast."

We had no idea that morning what was in store for us with that question.

Today...meet Music for the City.

This is Nate's baby and I am SO proud of what he has done with this. It started out as just a fleeting thought and has turned into an already respected and sought after Non-Profit here in Austin.

Music for the City has received press from News8 Austin, a front page article in the Austin Business Journal, an article in the Austin American Statesman and many many mentions on people's blogs, tweets and facebook pages.

One of their biggest accomplishments was in January when they threw a benefit concert (in a mere two days) that raised over $17,000 for a rescue center in Haiti called Real Hope for Haiti.

On May 8th, Music for the City releases their first compilation album, filled with austin musicians and the songs they donated to benefit kids in crisis and victims of domestic abuse.

I am proud of Nate and feel blessed to be married to someone who cares so much about people...and a little jealous that he has such great ideas:).

My husband is really freaking cool.

Fashion Blog Phenomenon

2010-04-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

There is a whole world of fashion blogging out there and I have stumbled upon it...

I have been quite the little fashion-blog-reader lately. There are a few that I find time to stalk in between projects at work and I'll share them with you in a bit. These girls are creative, talented, fashionable and way too cool...all of which I thought I was but am slowly learning that I'm not. I mean, getting the "best dressed" award at Temple High School doesn't really qualify you as being fashionable out in the real world, does it? Oh, wait...I didn't get that award, Rebekah did. So, I'm not even fashionable enough for T-town? So sad.

I used to think I was creatively fashionable but realize now that picking out the cute dress on the front rack at Target doesn't count. These girls have the ability to accessorize and arrange outfits in a way I can only dream about. Check them out:

www.adoredaustin.com Indiana Adams is in my city group at Austin City Life and is one of the top fashion bloggers in the country (I think)!
http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/ This girl has impeccable style and I love her decorating and cooking tips too!
http://www.kendieveryday.blogspot.com/ Not only is Kendi fashionable but she has me laughing outloud at my desk some days.
http://thistimetomorrow-krystal.blogspot.com/ Just found this one and have really enjoyed reading it.

Betsy Grace Navarro

2010-04-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

So, I'd like to share a few things about our latest and greatest: Betsy Grace.
I am head over heels for her. I am head over heels for all three of my girls. Each one of them are so special to me and for very different reasons. Jessica and I have a special bond because it was just the two of us for five years. She is mature and wise beyond her years. Ava and I will forever but heads but she is so full of life and hilarious to be around. And Betsy...well...she's a little miracle and a testament of God's grace in my life, Nate's life and in our marriage.

Nate and I have been through things that most marriages would not survive and sometimes we look at Betsy and see grace all over her because had we not persevered through the hard times, she would not be here.

She is quiet, so sweet and has a smile that will light up the room. Sometimes she just looks at me and I almost feel for a second that she gets it. She gets that she is grace and she gets what she means to me.

Here is a note that Nate wrote about her on facebook right after she was born:

Betsy Grace arrived on December 19th, 2009, three weeks early and right on time! She weighs 8 pounds 12 oz, is 21 inches long, and is a mama's girl for sure!

We gave her the name Betsy after Melissa's "gran" whom our entire family loves deeply. We gave her the name Grace because to Meliss and I she is a beautiful picture of just that.

Those of you that know Meliss and I know that our first 5 years of marriage have been a rollercoaster....and not a kid-friendly Disney World kind of rollercoaster.....more like an old carny rollercoaster that comes off the tracks and takes out the dude selling corn dogs and cotton candy......ok......bad analogy.

Our marriage has had some unbelievable highs: the greatest being the births of Ava and Betsy Grace, helping start a church that we love, and the friends we have made along the way.

We have also had some devestating lows...lows that most relationships don't survive...lows that have left friendships broken...lows that have forced us to cling to and belive in something that we have often been close to but rarely understood...GRACE.

To be brutally honest we found out "we were pregnant" with Betsy Grace at a time when we thought our marriage wasn't going to survive...

But we did...were here...she's here....and it's GRACE.

And so it takes a village......

Over the last week we have been reflecting not only on God's grace and Betsy Grace, but we have been blown away by the grace that has come our way through our families, our church, and our friends.

Melissa's family watched our girls while we were at the hospital.

Our jobs gave us plenty of time off work.

Many friends have come to visit.

We were given baby stuff galore....beds, bedding, clothes, changing table, diapers, carseat, and the list goes on and on and on.

We have been loved well by our families, our church, and our friends.Thank you so much. Your friendship and generosity has been grace to us as we welcome Betsy Grace into the Navarro family!

So it has been 7 years since I met beautiful Melissa Jones at The Blind Pig Pub on 6th street. I was a skinny kid with long hair who played in a rock band and she was the prettiest girl who ever gave me the time of day. We would stay at the bar till the lights came up, hit "the Onion" for some late night pizza, and talk for hours....blissfully unaware of what the future would hold...

My how things have changed...

I got a haircut,a job, and am not quite so slender...late night pizza has been replaced with late night diaper changing...and 7 years in we have 3 daughters, 2 dogs, a thousand regrets, and are currently in the market for a minivan...wow!

The pain has been real....but so has the grace!

December 28th, 2009 finds me grateful for the grace that has come my way through the unconditional love, forgiveness, and healing found in Jesus,through my best friend Melissa Jones Navarro,our daughters Jessica, Ava, and Betsy Grace, our families close and far, our church, and friends like you.

Hugs all the way around,

Nate

What to Write About

2010-04-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

My brain isn't big enough to sort out all of the thoughts that pass through it on a daily basis. I think about things like: work, kids, Nate, fashion, social justice, how to begin to help the homeless and what that looks like, how to fit in grabbing lunch with certain friends to catch up, outspoken people who take politics too seriously, racism, adopting a child, praying for Haiti to open up their adoption again, reminding myself to pray for friends who have asked for it, wanting people to think I'm funny, wanting my husband to think I'm pretty, not wanting him to think anyone else is pretty, reminding myself we live in Austin, TX where all the pretty girls roam, praying for couples who are going through hard times, how to keep a clean house with three kids and a job, how in the world to keep up with laundry, loving my neighbors, loving my friends, how I need to be kind and thoughtful and encouraging to my husband, how badly I need to lose weight, how I need to be content with who God made me, how to stay home with my kids, how to love my children better, how bad I want that cute pair of shoes, reminding myself I have more shoes than I need and that I can't take them to heaven with me, instilling in my children the command to love others before ourselves...

This is why my head hurts at night.

These are some of the things I'll blog about as they are what's on my mind. Keep checking back...

I'm Back...

2010-03-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well...I am back. And, you've missed a lot! A new baby. A new Austin City Life location. A new Non-Profit. Lot's of "news" in the Navarro home.

God has blessed our family beyond comprehension and I can't wait to catch everyone up on that.

I am going to post a new entry on here tonight but for now, I'll leave you with a few pics...

Broken Heart

2009-11-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I asked a friend to help me find a family in Temple that wouldn't be able to afford Thanksgiving and I wanted to take them their Thanksgiving meal. He put me in touch with a high school teacher who knew of a student whose family would be in need of that. His name was Justin. He lives with his mother, a step-father and a sibling. Today, Nate, me and our girls took Justin's family their Thanksgiving meal.

A few days ago, when I received their address, I recognized the name of the motel and remembered exactly which one it was. I remember driving by there many times while being in high school in Temple and for some reason, I remember it always depressed me when I thought of people living there. It's just a run down old motel.

When we pulled up today, there were several people standing around outside their doors, talking, drinking and "shooting the shit", I guess you could say. One of those people was the mother of Justin. She took us upstairs and I went through all of the grocery bags with her while Nate talked to a young teen, holding her baby.

It was a very small hotel room. There were two beds, piled full of just "stuff". There was only a small trail where you could walk through the room. On each side of the trail were just...things. Boxes, old clothes, old food, trash, groceries that had gone bad. Some of these things reached the ceiling. I proceeded to step in and show the mom what all I had gotten them for dinner. She seemed very grateful and the teenager with her son, Alex, was very sweet and talked to us for just a brief second.

We told them Happy Thanksgiving and left them to eat their meal. I'm not quite sure what came over me. I have seen poverty. I have seen poor living conditions. I am very aware that this goes on everywhere. But for some reason, I hadn't even gotten to the car before I began to sob. My heart was so broken. Broken for the family of four who live in this 400 square foot motel room in just two beds. Broken for the high school boy who has probably never been able to bring a friend "home" to play or hang out. Broken that there are children who live in those conditions. Broken at how overwhelming it becomes to try to think of how to begin to change some of that. Broken for myself who isn't satisfied sometimes with my beautiful 3 bedroom home in Central Austin. It isn't big enough, attractive enough, new enough. It needs to be painted. I need a new couch. I wish we had nicer furniture in our bedroom. My house is beautiful and today I was ashamed of myself that I ever feel anything but thankful for how God has blessed our family.

I continued to sob the whole way home. Again, I'm not completely sure why but I couldn't gain my composure. It just hit me really hard. No one really said a word the whole way home and then as we pulled up to have Thanksgiving with my family, Nate said we were going to pray for their family. He led us in prayer and I pulled myself together and we went inside.

I still haven't really gotten over it yet. I feel heavy and sad. I'm not sure exactly what all God is trying to teach me in this. Maybe it's just to be thankful...I feel it's something more.

It's the little things...

2009-11-02T16:08:00.001-08:00

We drove into the driveway after Church and lunch yesterday and this was on our front door. Nate loves to brag about people in our community who are missional but would never brag on himself, so I'm going to.

Nate is the Director of Missional Community at Austin City Life and really teaches that being "missional" isn't only about going overseas and being a missionary but it's about being on mission in your own family, neighborhood and city. He loves to report stories back to Jonathan (ACL pastor)when he finds himself proud of someone in our city group who has touched, impacted or helped someone in the neighborhood or the city of Austin. Here are a few really cool stories he's gotten to share about people in our community who have lived out the gospel in a missional way, locally:

-We had a single mom, who doesn't go to ACL, move into our neighborhood and people from our city group reached out to her, having never met her, buying her flowers, a candle, and a cake. Nate even showed up and spent the whole day helping her move in.

-We have a girl in our group who works in a liquor store and who has connected with some of the every day regulars who come in to get their daily pint of vodka. She spent time talking with one and simply asked her her name and was kind to her. The woman showed up hours later with her pet that she wanted to show off. You could tell it made a huge impact on her that someone cared enough to talk to her about her kids and ask her what her name was.

-We have one family in our group who adopted two local children who were in the foster care system. One of the greatest examples of Christ's love for us.

-A group just did a makeover on the teen therapy room at Safeplace here in Austin. Safeplace is a local non-profit that houses women and their children who have fled from sexual and domestic violence. See the pictures here.

-A couple in our Church is hosting a garage sale and here is their blurb about it on facebook:

"Yard Sale Fundraiser benefiting Operation Turkey sponsored by Austin City Life Church, and hosted by The Nixons. Operation Turkey is an organization that provides a full Thanksgiving Meal to homeless families on Thanksgiving Day; as well as provide for many of their other needs.

Please consider cleaning out a closet, or your pantry and donating some of the items listed on the flyer. You can bring stuff over any time - DAY or NIGHT!

It will be an awesome morning as we pull together to serve the needs of our city. And please invite anyone and everyone to this event!

For info about Austin City Life (the best church ever), visit www.austincitylife.org

For info about Operation Turkey, visit www.operationturkey.com"

-We hosted a "neighbor night" at our house and had all of our neighbors over for pizza and beer. Since then, we have still made it a point to hang out with and love on our neighbors. In fact, one couple across the street, Bridgette and Chele, are moving and told me that when they made their "pros and cons list", we were the top thing on their pro's list. Wow...I don't think I've ever been on the top of anyone's pro's list.

-We visit this retirement home each month and spend time with the residents.

Austin City Life is all about these little things and I wish I could tell every encouraging story but there are just so many, you'd be reading until midnight.

Things like this sign just prove that showing Jesus' love in even very small ways, without an agenda, means a lot to people.

Check out this blog post written by Jonathan Dodson that tells you how to be missional in your every day life.

Here's to more Christians hanging with non-Christians.

Thanking God

2009-10-06T10:04:00.001-07:00

I drove home from dropping Jess off at school this morning and I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. This came totally out of the blue because lately, I have been super selfish and have thought predominantly about things I don't have and feel that I need.

I paused in the car to just reflect on all of these things that were popping into my head that I was so lucky to have. My house, my car, my healthy kids, my husband, my family, my wonderful friends, my community at ACL, my dogs (sounds silly but I love them), too much food in my pantry, really great neighbors.

I began to repent for my selfishness and lack of recognition of just how great God is and how He has blessed my life.

So many times, I find that I get so caught up in "life" that I forget to stop and thank God for that "life" I'm all caught up in. I wish I could preserve mornings like this morning in a jar and open it up and pull some out on days that I don't feel so thankful.

Thank you God for my life and for the chance to live it for you.

Wednesday Mornings

2009-09-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Nate and I have such a tight schedule with work and non-profits and kids and school and city group that we have to be very deliberate about making time to spend together. Nate always works on his laptop at Thunderbird coffee shop at 6am, leaves and picks Jess up to take her to school at 7:15 (she likes to be there early...shocking), then goes back to Thunderbird and works until 9. On Wednesday mornings, we have a front porch coffee date instead of him going back to Thunderbird. I make a pot of coffee, he grabs the Bible and we hang out on the porch, talking, reading and praying.

This morning in praying a prayer of communion, I praised God for being so great and repented for not realizing or recognizing that nearly as much as I should. I prayed prayers of petition for my children; that God would protect them and lead them in their lives and I thanked Him for honoring us with the opportunity to parent them. I prayed for baby Betsy, that she would be healthy and strong. I prayed that God would lay it on our hearts to adopt some day if that's what He asks of us and wants from us.

Wednesday mornings are a very intimate time in the word, in conversation with my husband and in prayer with the Lord.

I'm thankful for Wednesday mornings.

A Few Things to Be Excited About...

2009-08-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

There are so many things happening in the fall that I am super excited about. The picture above should say a lot about one of them. Here are some of the things listed out and I'm sure as these things begin to play out, you will hear more about them.

1. UT Football season starts in two weeks. This is always such a fun time of year for us because we have season tickets and we also share a really fun tailgate with some of the most fun people in town. (Yes...Wheels and his buddies.) This year should be especially fun if the Horns can live up to the expectations of the many people who have predicted they will play in the National Championship game. This game also happens to land on the day that baby Betsy is scheduled to arrive. Nothing would make me happier than having one of my children born on the same day the Horns win ANOTHER National Championship. (Dad, does this make you proud?)

2. Ava's 4th Birthday. Ava's birthday falls on a Tuesday and we are having her "Princess Birthday Party" at our house on Friday night the 18th. I can't believe that my baby Ava is already four years old. I feel so blessed to be her mother and can't begin to count the many times that girl makes me laugh in a day. On another note, her party actually precedes the UT/Texas Tech revenge game on Saturday the 19th. Nate's dad is in town for that and will be going to the game with my parents. I have a few thoughts on the game as I think back to last year as we watched that game and that last play in complete horror. I think I will just let the game this year speak for itself.

3. Fall. This means cooler weather, cute decorations, school activites, Fall Festivals, pumpkins, hay rides with the kids, pumpkin spice coffee creamer (which my friend Ali Watson and I appreciate more than anyone else), chili on cool nights, pumpkin carving contests and still...football season.

4. Ava starts soccer. Ava has her first soccer game on October 4th. Her games are always on Sunday afternoons, if any of you are interested in coming to watch a bunch of three and four year olds try to play the game of soccer...better yet...to watch Wheels, Lucas and Nate try to coach a bunch of three and four year olds to play the game of soccer.

5. Jessica starts volleyball. Jessica has wanted to play volleyball for a while. She is starting on a 5th grade volleyball team at the end of the year and will play games through March. The tournament at the end of the season is held at UT, the last weekend in March. Her favorite teacher at her school, Ms. Shea, is the coach.

6. City Group Leader's Retreat. Nate is responsible for all City Groups at Austin City Life and to thank all of the Leaders for their time and dedication to leading these groups at our Church, he has planned a retreat for the leaders and their wives. We will be staying here and I am pretty excited about it. I LOVE our entire team of leaders and I can't wait to hang out with them, pray with them and celebrate the good things happening in our groups.

7. TX/OU weekend. This weekend last year topped all other football weekends in the season. We start the weekend out at a bash at the Smith's (Wheels' parent's)house in Dallas, on Friday night. This party goes on well into the night and if you're Wheels and his friends, until about an hour before the game. Then, the party starts back up at the fair at about 8am with beer and corn dogs. It's beautiful.

8. Natalie's getting married. This happens in November and I can't wait to see sweet Natalie get married to Ty. What I can wait for is standing up next to all of her 23 year old bridesmaids when I am 7 1/2 months pregnant. I mean...it's bad enough that I'm like 10 years older than they are in the first place...you gotta throw in that I'll be the fat pregnant girl up there making all of the pictures ugly. It didn't help that I had to order the bridesmaid dress in a size 12, just hoping it will fit at that time. What does help is that I love the bridesmaid dress and will find someone to take it in to a size 4 (that's right...I'm counting on weight watchers again) when I am back to normal. I WILL wear this dress again!! Thank you, Natalie, for loving me enough to want my pregnant butt in your pictures anyway... I love you too:)

9. Ashley's getting married. This isn't until spring BUT...the parties are starting this fall. I am, once again, a bridesmaid and LOVE my dress for this wedding too (it's all about the dress).

10. Music for the City. This is a Non-Profit that Nate has started and this fall is a majorly important time, as the fundraising begins. Here is the mission statement, in case you are interested in what Music For The City is all about:
MUSIC FOR THE CITY music.charity.austin.
MUSIC FOR THE CITY exists to encourage and enable artists to give back to the Austin community by partnering with organizations that are serving our city.
MUSIC FOR THE CITY produces benefit albums and concerts featuring Austin’s best artists. These albums and concerts directly benefit organizations that are serving our community.
MUSIC FOR THE CITY is a win for the entire community. Our artists gain goodwill and an opportunity to give back. The organizations we partner with receive exposure and funding to continue the work they are doing. The city itself benefits from a movement of artists who inspire an entire community to give to those that are serving the great city of Austin, Texas.
We are thrilled to be partnering with two organizations that are tirelessly serving our community. AUSTIN SAFE PLACE is working to end sexual and domestic violence and the AUSTIN CHILDRENS SHELTER is working to provide a safe haven for children in crisis. We are honored to be raising money and awareness for these amazing organizations.
MUSIC FOR THE CITY
is great music, for a great cause, in a great city.

11. Thanksgiving. I've got two words for Thanksgiving this year: MAN PORCH. I wish I had pictures of the new addition to the Johnson home, where we all celebrate Thanksgiving. Words won't do it justice. Let's just say...outside...HUGE flatscreen tv...outdoor fireplace...bar...comfy seating...WONDERFUL food...football games...heavenly. On another note for Thanksgiving, I love sharing a Thanksgiving meal with our City Group and I love that during that time of year, people tend to reflect more on the things they are truly thankful for. I wish we did this more often but I'm also glad there is a day designated to us setting time aside to do this. In America, we do have SO much to be thankful for and I am one of those people that forgets that way too often. God has blessed us with so much.

12. Christmas. Oh Christmas, how I love thee. I'm not sure where to even start with Christmas. Maybe I should start with the fact that I've already planned out Christmas decorations for my house this year. Things I love about Christmas: mistletoe, wreaths, cinnamon, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, blow up santa's in the front yard, ornaments, Christmas music, hot apple cider, Christmas movies, Christmas cookies, letters to Santa, holly, carols, shopping for other people, and most of all, remembering and reflecting on God sending his son to earth to live among us and die for us. What a precious gift. And...what an amazing time of year to reflect on that. Oh, I LOVE Christmas!!

It's a Girl (we think)

2009-08-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Nate and I got up this morning at 6:45 and got ready, grabbed a coffee at our usual hangout, Thunderbird, and headed to our Doctor's appointment to find out the sex of this baby.

Now, I think everyone knows that we were sort of pulling for a boy. I mean, Nate really wanted a boy (understandable) and I wanted a boy for Nate's sake. I never spoke these words outloud (for Nate's sake) but I secretly thought it would be cute to have three girls.

Anyway...we got in there and the nurse, Tamra (we LOVE her), immediately started looking for us. First we heard a "Oh! That looks like a little penis!" and then we heard "No, wait. Maybe not. I see three lines." (For those of you who have gone through this, you know what three lines means.) Then we heard "It sure does look like there's something there", followed by a "But gosh...sometimes it just looks like three lines when it turns over." Finally, Tamra said she was just going to get Dr. Cowan because he was much better at telling these things. So he came in and it didn't take him 30 seconds before he announced that he was 90% sure the alien was a girl. I think Nate was in shock...I was sort of excited.

I am giddy over thinking about having three girls and each one of my girls having two sisters. (Plus...I've been looking online and the girl's clothes are SO much cuter!)

I feel blessed today.

New things in the Navarro household...

2009-07-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

I am sorry I have been so absent on here...things have been crazy! Here are a few things to catch you up on...

1. We added another member to the Navarro family...Sir Truckstop of Brentwood Austin... aka "Truck". This is Nate's dog and he LOVES him. He is a beautiful puppy and I love that Nate is getting to experience having a puppy from the beginning. He was never a dog person before we met...now...he is. Everyone, meet Truck.

2. Jessica went to summer camp this last week and LOVED it! She was there for a week and got to horseback ride, kayak, swim, play all sorts of different games and sports, meet a ton of new friends and learn more about Jesus. I could tell when picking her up that she was loved by both campers and counselors. Here are a few pics from her week. Thank you to everyone who wrote her letters!! She had the most mail of anyone else that week!:)

3. We had our first doctor's appointment and I am now almost 4 months along and everything is healty and the baby moves a ton and is "big" as the doctor put it. We have pictures but I'm not real sure how to post those and anyway, they look like aliens at this stage. Not cute.

We are continueing to pray for a healthy pregnancy and baby for the rest of the term.

More on life at the Navarro household coming up!

Community of Rescued People

2009-06-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

We had a guest pastor give us a message yesterday on community. As I was listening, some of the things he was saying were sinking in. Today, those things have really resonated with me as I have meditated on them. He talked about how we need each other. How, God didn't design for man to be alone, but to be with others. He talked about how we are a community of rescued people...meaning we desperately needed rescuing (from ourselves). He also talked about how messy community can be, or actually, it is. We hurt each other, we let each other down, we betray each other. I have experienced these things on both ends. My natural reaction is to feel very angry with those who have hurt me and to feel shame and guilt for how I have hurt others. Jesus didn't go to the cross with my sin and other's sin so that I may walk around angry at others or ashamed of myself...he went to the cross with our sins so that I may forgive, and feel forgiven.

I am clinging to the words of my friend Jordan's song today...I'm not sure another song moves me to worship like this one does...

Fullness of God

The very image of the invisible God,
you were here before all creation.
By your hands we were made, and we see you today
through the things your hands hold together.

In you all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell forever.
Through you we are reconciled
by the blood of your cross.

So we sing to the name above all,
the name of Jesus.
The name by which we are saved.
So we sing to the King above all,
King Jesus.
You are worthy of our praise.
And so we sing, to you.

We were once far away
from the reality of grace.
We were sinners estranged from our Father.
But in love you came, to take away our shame.
To present us as clean sons and daughters.

In you all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell forever.
Through you we are reconciled
by the blood of your cross.

So we sing to the name above all,
the name of Jesus.
The name by which we are saved.
So we sing to the King above all,
King Jesus.
You are worthy of our praise.
And so we sing, to you.

We'll cling to the hope of glory, proclaimed in all the earth.
We'll cling to the hope of glory, proclaimed in all the earth.
We'll cling to the hope of glory, proclaimed in all the earth.

So we sing to the name above all,
the name of Jesus.
The name by which we are saved.
So we sing to the King above all,
King Jesus.
You are worthy of our praise.
You are worthy of our praise.

I might have butchered the words a little or the arrangement but you should go here and listen: www.myspace.com/austincitylifeworship

We might be a messy community but we rely on a perfect God and for that, I'm thankful.

Milestone...out of my first trimester!

2009-06-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

I know...I'm a little big for 13 weeks. But...I'm really going to begin exercising this week...swear.

How Sweet the Sound

2009-06-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Austin City Life had their first Baptism this last weekend and it was done in true ACL fashion...at Barton Springs pool. The busiest place in Austin on a hot summer day. This was no private event at a secluded river spot on some one's land. It was in the middle of Barton Springs, where topless hippies and stoned bystanders watched what was going on. I didn't make it down to the water to actually see the baptism's (I was feeling a little sick) but I heard that people standing around were really wondering what was going on and asking questions. How cool is that?

When the group came back up to our picnic spot and got in a circle to bless all the good food, Jonathan said "we're going to sing the first verse of Amazing Grace and then bless the food." I kind of laughed out loud because I truly thought he was joking about the singing part. But...everyone started in singing the first line of Amazing Grace and I soon realized this was no joke. I began to look around at the people in the circle around me and at the people walking by, staring at all of us, wondering why we were singing. All of the sudden, it hit me how extremely cool this was. We are standing in a huge group, singing Amazing Grace, in the middle of Barton Springs, after two people were just publicly baptized, and there was not a sweeter sound to me. I fell in love again with this community and their boldness.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Now...let's not get all excited. But...

2009-06-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for instant gratification. Is that wrong? I've never been able to figure out why Doctors won't tell you the gender of your baby until you're like 18-20 weeks, when you know that they know at like 12-15. I mean...what evil lies within them that makes them torture us so?

I have been waiting for years for someone to come up with an at-home gender test and low and behold...someone did. Brilliant. NOW...the accuracy rate is only like 92-96% (which seems high but, Nate and I are pretty good with 1% chances, seeing as how Ava was conceived while on birth control) but we thought it'd be fun to kinda know what we're having. THERE'S STILL A CHANCE IT'S WRONG but...

Here is the website for this brilliant invention: www.intelligender.com

I'm not sure if I'd told anyone what the names are for a girl or boy and I know it's pretty soon to already have those set but...again...I'm all over the instant gratification.

Girl- Betsy Grace (obviously after Gran)
Boy- Jones Everett (Granddad's middle name)

So for right now...until the Dr. says he sees a penis or vagina...we've got a little Jones Everett Navarro on our hands!

I'm going to rip off someone else's blog...

2009-06-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have caught on to some really great blogs and this is absolutely one of my favorites...I believe this girl was meant to be a friend of mine. I just haven't figured out how that's possible with her living in California but I'm pretty positive that somehow, we'll meet some day and be best friends.

She has had some really great posts and I think you'll find them much more interesting than anything I could say today...

www.thehowertons.blogspot.com

Please read the post "Christians Behaving Badly". It's great and leads you to other blogs of really great people living out the meaning of Christ's love.

My Husband's Birthday Today

2009-05-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that, 34 years ago, Nate Navarro was born into this world. That might top my list of things I am most thankful for.

Here are 34 things about Nate that make him, well, Nate:

1. He is kind
2. He is humble
3. He loves the Lord
4. He is gentle
5. He is an amazing father
6. He is a great leader, in our family and in our Church
7. He is a natural at drawing people into community
8. He listens to you when you talk to him
9. He has a HUGE heart
10. He loves Texas Football
11. He is sensitive
12. He is a walking example of God's grace, which encourages a lot of people
13. He likes Mexican food
14. He is serious about his job
15. He is good at leading people into worship
16. He writes good sad songs
17. He is a good friend to his friends
18. He is funny when he's not trying to be
19. He's scared of bugs (roaches, to be exact)
20. He likes good wine (well...he likes cheap wine too)
21. He couldn't care less about material things
22. He has a soft touch (this is not sexual...this came from Geoff and Luke when playing the bean bag game)
23. He is great at saying "thank you"
24. He's even better at saying "I'm sorry"
25. He has a great laugh
26. He is a gentle disciplinarian with the girls
27. My parent's think he is the best son-in-law in the world, despite my dad's speech at the wedding
28. He has a gift of being able to relate to people
29. He has a MAJOR sweet tooth (his weakness is chocolate chip cookies)
30. He loves Pete Yorn
31. He is the most unselfish person I've ever met
32. He is addicted to Thunderbird coffee
33. He is just really freakin cool
34. He doesn't realize that he's just really freakin cool

Happy Birthday Nate...I love you!!

Repeat Offender

2009-05-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at ACL, we talked about the gospel and justification. It was a powerful message.

We, as Christians, make it so difficult sometimes. We try so hard to get right with God by following rules and being "good". We trust in ourselves to get us there, all the while getting so frustrated with ourselves that while following all of the rules and trying so hard to be good...we're still not good. Here's the catch: we fall in love with Jesus first, we rely on him, we meditate on him...the righteousness follows. We want to be missional. We want to love our neighbors. We want to follow God. We want to look like Jesus. And...we begin to.

Really...it's so simple. Jesus.

Yet...I am a repeat offender in pride, jealousy, gossip, lust, acceptance in what others think of me, etc. The grace in it for me is that I even get the opportunity to change these things in my life. By the grace of God, these traits become less of an issue in my life. They creep up from time to time, but I see much, much less of them. I attribute this to falling in love with Jesus and therefore, seeing him begin to change my heart. I feel myself wanting to do things, not to follow some rule, but because I love Jesus.

I am beginning to find perfect acceptance, love and justification through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Creative Vegetarian Diet

2009-05-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

So, I have been a vegetarian for 5 months now. Or at least, up until taking a bite of Green's sausage the other night. Before that...not one bite of meat in 5 months. Now that I am pregnant...I've been thinking...maybe I shouldn't be depriving this child of meat. Maybe he is going to be the next quarterback at UT. Maybe good thoroughbred quarterbacks need meat. Maybe this is all just selfish of me. For those vegetarians reading this who are thinking "you traitor. you are weak.", please understand that the smell of Green's sausage is like Satan on a vegetarian's shoulder. I smelled it as my entire family (Matt, Jessica, Ava and Nate) ate it in my living room and Satan told me I wanted a bite and I gave in to temptation and ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

I have a friend who once was a vegetarian except ate sausage and bacon:). I think I might try that out. Totally for the baby's sake, of course. This is all for the baby.

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-05-12T08:36:00.001-07:00

I had the best weekend for Mother's Day. Matt grilled out Friday night and had friends over and the girls love it when there are a bunch of people at the house like that. They were both up playing washers with the guys until like 1am! I have some little partyers on my hands!

Saturday morning we woke up...I went on a nice walk and came home to get ready for the UT baseball game. Dad got us all tickets in his friend's suite and we had a blast. Air conditioning, food, beer, pictures with BEVO and a series win against the Aggies (doesn't get much better than that:)

Saturday night we took the girls to House Pizzeria and afterwards bowling at Dart Bowl. We rarely do "just family" nights but when we do, it's such precious time with each other and the kids. Makes me want to do it way more.

Sunday, we learned about the gospel from Jonathan and reflected on what the cross means in our lives. The cross means so much to me in so many different ways and so this was a great message for me to hear because I forget sometimes and need to be reminded. The music was great and led me into a great time of worship and reflection.

After Church, my Mom, Gran and Dad came to the house and we ate a good 'ol Southern lunch: smoked turkey, homemade potato salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, buttered bread and three choices for dessert (apple pie, blueberry pie and chess pie).

This was such a great weekend for me...time to enjoy my family, reflect on the cross and what Jesus has done in my life, and think about my role as a mother to Jessica and Ava and baby #3!

Miracle

2009-05-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

So every week I get an email from babycenter.com, which I'm sure is old hat to most of you but, I've never subscribed with my other pregnancy's.

It is blowing my mind to read how this baby is forming. It is the most amazing miracle.

How your baby's growing:
Deep in your uterus your embryo is growing at a furious pace. At this point, he's about the size of a sesame seed, and he looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. He's now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm — which will later form all of his organs and tissues.

The neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — is starting to develop in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel.

His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue.

The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

Anyway...I am just getting my mind blown...this is amazing! My baby's heart starts beating this week and the brain starts developing!

...crazy.

Mid Year Resolutions...

2009-05-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking lately about how the gospel affects EVERY area of our lives. Some of my life is "all good and cleaned up" and some of it is just messy. Like, literally...messy. Chaotic. Unorganized. A plethora of mess.

I don't spend my time wisely at home and I don't give my kids the attention they need at night and in the mornings. I am completely content sticking them in front of the TV or at the computer to play games so that I can unwind for the day. They don't get baths every night and half the time we can't find anything for them to wear in the mornings because I haven't had time to do laundry. So...since I haven't had time to do laundry, that stack is piling up on the stack from last week which was really from two weeks ago. Get my drift? My bedroom closet is microscopic so the clothes I don't have room for are in a stack on the beautiful red velvet chair that no one ever gets to see...because of the clothes stacked on top of it. I don't have room in my kitchen for a junk drawer and so there are nick knacks stuffed in every drawer in the house. Our laundry room has had a revolving stack of laundry in the basket since we moved in. And...on and on.

How would the gospel address this? I don't really know the answer to that yet but...I know some practical things I want to do to get "cleaned up". This is going to literally be a life-change but I am committed to doing it.

1. Weekend projects starting this weekend and continuing until I have finished every room in the house. Starting with our bedroom. I mean...top to bottom...every single room. (Except for Matt's) Then, keeping that maintained so that I don't get behind again.

2. Going to bed early and getting good rest.

3. Getting up early to work out, read the word with Nate, make the girls breakfast and pack their lunches.

4. Tidy up every night.

5. Wash dishes after every meal.

6. Do laundry every Saturday.

7. Go through the girl's back packs every day so that I know what is going on at their schools.

8. Have nightly prayer time with the girls when we tuck them in.

9. Clean up the front and back yards.

10. Make Sunday a day of rest with my family.

11. Clean out my car and keep it clean.

I know that it is not realistic to think that all of this will be done perfectly, every day because I am only human and I work all day long BUT...I need some organization. I don't need a schedule (they drive me crazy because you are then confined to that schedule every day.) I just need my life to be a little more organized. I'm praying that God gives me strength to ease into this new lifestyle.

I mean...if Jesus showed up right now at my house...he'd have to sit on a pile of laundry on my couch!

I'm looking forward to this new way of living!!

(if any of you have any suggestions, advice, organization tips, etc...bring 'em on!)

5th Addition to the Navarro Family...

2009-05-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

So...I know this is SO early but...we are adding another Navarro at the end of December/beginning of January. I am about 5 or 6 weeks pregnant and we tried to keep it a secret but...the secret's out(Mom)! No, not really. We told a "few" people and our city group and it spread like wildfire. I think I might have had 4 people come up to me at Church on Sunday and say "I heard a little secret"...

So...we are just going to go with it and announce that baby Navarro will be here in close to 34 weeks.

Ava and Jessica are really excited...it took Jess a little longer to get excited but knowing that she is moving over to the other side of the house and will have her own bedroom, living room and bathroom has sealed the deal:)

The reason for the picture is that I took a couple of tests a couple of weeks ago that had a VERY faint positive line on it and so neither one of us were willing to believe I was REALLY pregnant. So, I gave in and bought the (more expensive), digital test and it was a big fat digital YES+.

We are really excited and will continue to post updates on baby Navarro for the next 34 weeks.

I've thought about posting a picture of my stomach and ankles every week for the next 34 weeks...I might also consider keeping my dignity though. We'll see.

Our Bedroom Needs Some Lovin'

2009-05-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is going to be incredibly boring to those of you who get on here to read my super deep, intellectual, wise thoughts on life in general. This is a decorating post...intended for the girls.

I'm not sure if any of you are this same way but...our bedroom is the last place in the house to get any love in cleaning or decorating. It's more important to keep the areas in the house most frequented...clean and tidy and spruced up. That would be our living room, kitchen and bathroom. These are the rooms where guests hang out the most. So...they are decorated and clean (some of the time, at least). Our bedroom, on the otherhand, doesn't have one thing on the wall and has had an old comforter on it, whose stuffing is lopsided, for the last two years.

So...I ordered new bedding from Target and am super excited about it! Here it is:

http://www.target.com/Studio-Target-Foliage-Bedding-Collection/dp/B001OO8W7O/qid=1241539752/ref=br_1_16/191-4446264-8919755?ie=UTF8&node=404152011&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=404152011&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=1

The other project for my room is already half completed. Here it is:

http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2008/06/opam-may-08-photo-wall-in-living-room-after/

I already have all of the prints for the photo wall. They were all taken by Jen Cota and I ordered them just like these photos: some black and white and some color and with the same affect on the photo. The affect is called "through the lens" because it looks like it was taken with an old camera and like you're looking through the lens (hence, the name "through the lens"). All I'm needing now are the frames. This will require a trip to Ikea, which I'm planning on doing this Saturday.

The last thing I'm going to do is spruce up the nightstand (which right now has books and dust and an empty cup on it). It will look something like this:

I'm looking so forward to our "new" room!

Sweet Time with Neighbors

2009-04-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Last night we had all of our neighbors over for pizza and beer and it was such a sweet time of community and building of friendships.

Nate and I have been planning to do that for a while and just finally got around to it. I honestly would never have made the move to walk over and invite all of them over but Nate and the girls made invitations and I walked with the girls over to each house and we put them in the mailboxes. The girls were really excited about it.

So, last night as I was driving home, I started to get nervous that it was going to be an awkward time of people getting to know each other and not having much in common and leaving, not having had a good time. Quite the opposite happened, actually.

We had the neighbors on either side of us and the two houses across the street. There were not two people in the house who were similar in looks or interests and it was the coolest thing to see these people getting to know each other and become friends. They actually all really got along and left saying..."let's do this at our house in 2 weeks. Same people, same time. We'd love to grill for all of you." What a sweet moment for me. I loved that there were people sitting in my living room who have lived two houses from each other for over five years and were just learning each other's names. One of the girls across the street plays the guitar and writes songs and sang for us a bit (she and Nate took turns) on the front porch. (So, I guess there were two people who had something in common...Nate and the neighbor, Shelly, who are both musicians.) She helped Ava write and sing a song about our dog, Jenna.

I am thankful for my husband who pushes me to step out of my comfort zone to do things like this. Everyone who came last night thanked us over and over for putting that together and everyone left with 10 more friends than they came with. I could tell how much it meant to them that we would take the time to do it.

It encourages me to see how living missionally, in even just my own neighborhood, affects people.

Austin City Life

2009-04-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

I promise this isn't intended to be a cheesy plug for my Church. I just want to talk for a minute about how this Church, this community, has changed my life.

Nate and I started attending ACL back in September of 2007. We were still living in Belton and Nate attended more than me. He would drive down to Austin on Tuesday nights and lead worship in the Dodson's living room...filled with about 8 people. Maybe 10. I could tell that he was really being affected by this small group of people and it kept him driving back and forth every week. I kept myself sort of removed for a while because A)we lived in Belton and I had a full time job and not much time to drive to Austin and back and B)I felt I had already found my Church home at The Vista in Belton. The Vista will ALWAYS hold a special place in me because I feel that I was first introduced to a community who extended grace to messy people, all along, wanting to help them grow. Anyway...Nate came to me at some point and said "I want to move to Austin and be a part of Austin City Life. I believe in their vision, what they're doing and this guy Jonathan who God is using to carry it all out." I said ok, and we moved.

We are now over a year and a half into ACL and I've never grown more spiritually and relationally in my life. I am learning truly what the gospel means. I am learning what Jesus taught. I am learning how Jesus' teachings play out in real life. I am learning to love my neighbors (like...my real neighbors). I am learning how to be missional in EVERY aspect of my life. I am learning true forgiveness. I am learning true repentance. I have become more prayerful. I am learning how to glorify God in the way I am a mother, friend, wife, sister, daughter. I am still SO far off on perfecting these things. I never will. But by God's grace...I get to try.

Thanks Austin City Life for what you have meant to the Navarro family. Thank you for following Jesus with us and teaching us along the way. I am so thankful for you.

www.austincitylife.org

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T09:13:00.001-07:00

Please check out www.earthday.net to find out different ways to be eco friendly and help reserve our planet that god blessed us with!

You should also check out The Earth movie trailor here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLz_1LNAuAQ
I am taking the girls to see this!

I totally stole this. But I loved it.

2009-04-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

Call It Grace

Being made right with God by his grace, we could have the hope of receiving the life that never ends. Titus 3:7 (NCV)

You may be decent. You may pay taxes and kiss your kids and sleep with a clean conscience. But apart from Christ you aren't holy. So how can you go to heaven?

Only believe. Accept the work already done, the work of Jesus on the cross.

Accept the goodness of Jesus Christ. Abandon your own works and accept his. Abandon your own decency and accept his. Stand before God in his name, not yours.

It's that easy? There was nothing easy about it at all. The cross was heavy, the blood was real, and the price was extravagant. It would have bankrupted you or me, so he paid it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift. But don't call it easy.

Call it what it is. Call it grace.

Easter

2009-04-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Easter is a beautiful day for those who profess to be Christians. It is the day that Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking our sins with him.

When we sin or mess up (in dumbed up terms), it is sometimes hard for us to forgive ourselves and also hard to forgive people we feel have sinned against us. I reminded myself on Sunday, in remembering that Jesus died for our sins, that to not forgive ourselves, accept forgiveness, or forgive others, must be heartbreaking to God. He sacrificed his Son so that we could, and would, extend forgiveness to each other and accept forgiveness from God and those we have sinned against.

I am so thankful for the cross, for Jesus, and for forgiveness and grace.

Dorcas Acquah

2009-04-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

Dorcas is the little girl in Ghana that our family sponsors through Compassion International. I would really really encourage you to do this. Sponsoring a child is not something you do for your kid's sake...it affects all of us. You're never too old or too young or too busy to sponsor a child. It helps a child in another country receive education and water and food and clothing. She wrote our family a letter this week...

"Dear The Navarro's,

I am happy to thank you for taking me as your sponsored child. I attend Rhema Prepatory School. I am in KG2. I live with my mother who sells tomatoes in the market. I am six years of age.

I also live with my two elder siblings, Bright and Emmanuel. My best friend is Lydia Sacky and I learn with her always. I like rice and stew. What is your favorite food?

Pray for me to get good knowledge.

Dorcas"

We have a picture of Dorcas on our refrigerator and are so excited to send her letters back and even some fun books to read!

The Prodigal Sons

2009-03-27T12:02:00.001-07:00

This was actually a devotional sent to me by my mom and I've heard a similar message, spoken by my pastor, on this topic of the other son in the prodigal son story in the Bible.

Today's Truth
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found,' so they began to celebrate" (NIV).

Perhaps one of the most memorable and heart touching stories of grace and forgiveness is recorded in Luke chapter fifteen. It's what we've come to know as the story of the Prodigal son. This young man demanded his inheritance while his father was still alive, spent it all on riotous living, and found himself dirty, destitute, and despairing. As despicable as pigs were to Jews, this young man took a job taking care of pigs and eating their food just to stay alive. Then he had an epiphany. He came to his senses.
"How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father (Luke 15:17-20).'"
And where was his father? He was panning the horizon, hoping for a sign that his boy might return home. While "he was still a long way off," the father spotted his son on the horizon. Filled with compassion, he picked up the edges of his robe and ran. He didn't wait for his son to come to him, grovel at his feet, and beg for forgiveness. No, as soon as the father caught a glimpse of his son, he dashed toward his boy, smothered him with kisses, and welcomed him home.
If you remember, not everyone was happy when the prodigal son returned. His big brother resented the fact that he got another chance. And you know what? There will be those who resent the fact that we get another chance as well.
"Big brother won't mind if you come back as long as you hang your head and wear your shame. But when God has the audacity to give you a little dignity back and you dare lift your radiant face to heaven in liberated praise, big brother may be appalled! Pride can't celebrate with a prodigal-come-home. Folks who won't celebrate are still kidding themselves into thinking they did something right to be loved by their Father." (Beth Moore, When Godly People do Ungodly Things, (Nashville, TN: Lifeway Press, 2003), p. 145.)
I say, let him be appalled. Nothing makes some people angrier than grace. Big brother is invited to the party too, and it's his decision whether or not he wants to join in the celebration. I'm just glad he's not the one in charge.

I feel forever indebted to grace in my life, yet Jesus already paid that price.

Far from God

2009-03-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if any of you have felt this way before but as I have become more intimate in my relationship with God, it becomes more obvious when I feel distant from Him or can't feel His presence.

For the last two weeks, I have felt very distant from God. I felt distracted when I prayed. I didn't really have anything I wanted to talk about or pray about. I wasn't getting anything out of the messages at Church, or really even the music. I recognized that this was going on and began to pray that God would draw near to me, as I was having a hard time drawing near to Him. Still...nothing. I finally gave up and almost stopped caring, confused as to why this was happening. Did I do something wrong? Is God mad at me? Is there something I need to confess? Is He trying to tell me something?

I talked with Nate about it a few days ago and he prayed with me and recommended that I read the Psalms. Where David (a man after God's own heart) is crying out to God, asking Him why He isn't answering David when he calls out to Him. If David, a man after God's own heart, feels far from God at times, will we not feel the same at some point?

I ignored Nate's recommendation. Until this morning. I opened Psalms up to chapter 13. This is what it says:

Psalms 13: How Long O Lord?

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep
the sleep of death, lest my enemies say, "I have prevailed over him,"
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice
in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation! I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me! Wow...this moved me. My mind is flooded with the many many many ways the Lord has dealt bountifully with me. With my marriage. With my children. With my relationships. With my ACL family. He has dealt bountifully with me. His love for me is steadfast!

I am at my desk at work crying while writing this. My co-workers are going to call the "mad-house" to come pick me up. (Lord, please don't let that happen.)

Let this be a reminder that when God's voice falls silent in our lives, He has gone nowhere. He is still right there. Pick up your Bible, read it, meditate on the ways he has dealt bountifully with you and thank Him.

Nails for Christ

2009-03-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Nate and I met with a couple last night at Thunderbird Coffee, our home away from home. They have started a non-profit called Nails for Christ and met with us to tell us what they were about, how they got started and how we could help. I left very excited.

I'll try not to butcher the story of how they got started but my attention span during our meeting was short lived, due to Ava climbing all over me.

It started out with Heather Cain's father, who, three years ago built a house for a family in Puerto Penasco. The next year, his daughter Heather and her husband Ryan, joined him. This last Christmas, her whole family(15 of them), spent their Christmas in Puerto Penasco building a house for a family in need. They are taking a group in May to do a build and another group in August. The Navarro's are going to be part of the group going in August!

What they need at this point is obviously financial contributions and volunteers. Nate and I are so excited to be a part! We have so many ideas of how to help them raise money. Nate wants to throw a benefit concert and we also plan on having a party at our house to introduce people to the organization and also to help raise money.

Please watch the slideshow and let me know if you have any interest in giving or volunteering.

More on this later as we start to learn more about the organization and get ready to go help in August!

http://www.slideshare.net/nailsforchrist/puerto-penasco-rocky-point-mexico-house-build-with-nails-for-christ

Coming Out of the Cage of Guilt

2009-03-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

The passage today was good for me to read...considering there are many times I think back to mistakes and sinful behavior I've given in to and think that I'm not qualified to be doing things "in the name of God". There are people in this world who probably think that is a complete insult to God himself. Nate and I have actually had people tell us we are not qualified for ministry. Understandably so. However, God says something different.

"The moment we confess our sin to God, our sin is forgiven and forgotten. But for most of us, it is far easier to accept God's forgiveness than to forgive ourselves. Why? Because we can forgive, but unlike God, we cannot forget. If we don't allow the grace of God to saturate and sanctify our sinful memories, we continue to experience false guilt over confessed sin. We become so fixated on past mistakes that we forfeit future opportunities. We mistakenly think our mistakes disqualify us from being used by God. And our feelings of guilt become the cage that keeps us from chasing the Wild Goose.

Whether you are experiencing true guilt that is a by-product of unconfessed sin or false guilt that is the by-product of confessed sin, both forms of guilt dull your spiritual sense of adventure. And you won't be able to chase the Wild Goose until you get past your guilty feelings. The good news is that there is forgiveness and freedom because of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And if you receive His grace, it will not only recondition your spiritual reflexes, it will transform your life."

Another Passage Captured Me...

2009-03-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

Chapter 2: Goose Bumps

UNQUALIFIED

Nehemiah mourned and wept when finding out that the Jews, brought out of captivity from Babylon, were in huge trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem had been torn down and the gates destroyed by fires. They were defenseless against their enemies. Nehemiah was extremely unqualified to do anything to help them.

"Nehemiah had no architectural training on his transcript and no construction experience on his resume. And as far as we know, he had never even been to Jerusalem. He was severely unqualified to pursue this passion. A cupbearer rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem is pretty laughable when you think about it. Most God-ordained passions are.

It was about as laughable as a farmer named Noah building an ark, a shepherd named David fighting a Philistine giant, or a murderer named Paul writing the second half of the New Testament.

When it comes to doing the will of God, God-ordained passions are far more important than any human qualification we can bring to the table. In fact, God often uses us at our point of greatest incompetence. That way He gets all the credit."

Bear with me here...this is long.

2009-03-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

I received this book in the mail yesterday from a dear friend for my birthday. I started reading it today and already love it. I am only on the first chapter and I expect that there will be many more entries as I continue to read but this one really struck me today. It's long...but great.

Chapter 1: Yawning Angels

CAGED CHRISTIANS

"I love the church. I bleed the church. And I'm not saying that the way the church cages people is intentional. In fact, it may be well intentioned. But too often we take people out of their natural habitat and try to tame them in the name of Christ. We try to remove the risk. We try to remove the danger. We try to remove the struggle. And what we end up with is a caged Christian.

Deep down inside, all of us long for more. Sure, the tamed part of us grows accustomed to the safety of the cage. But the untamed part longs for some danger, some challenge, some adventure. And at some point in our spiritual journey, the cage no longer satisfies. We have a primal longing to be uncaged. And the cage opens when we recognize that Jesus died to make us dangerous.

Praying for protection is fine. I pray for a hedge of protection around my three children all the time. You probably pray that kind of prayer too. But when was the last time you asked God to make you dangerous?

I would like to think that when I pronounce the benediction at the end of our church services, I am sending dangerous people back into their natural habitat to wreak havoc on the Enemy.

LIVING DANGEROUSLY

Every once in a while, I have random thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. Here's a thought that fired across my synapses not long ago: Do angels yawn?

I know it seems like an inane theological question, but I seriously wonder if angels have the capacity to get bored. More important, I wonder if some of us are living such safe lives that not only are we bored, but so are our guardian angels. If they could, would our guardian angels coax us out of our cage and beg us to give them something to do?

I think of Ana Luisa, who used her award mile to fly to India and sacrificially serve some of the poorest of the poor at a medical clinic. I think of Mike, who started a dangerous ministry in a dangerous place-a porn show in Las Vegas. I think of Adam, whose sensitivity to the Wild Goose resulted in a life-changing encounter on a mission trip half a world away. And I think of Becky, who made a conscious decision to endanger her own life by becoming part of the crusade against human trafficking.

Since when did it become safe to follow Christ? Maybe it's time to come out of the cage and live dangerously for the cause of Christ."

This was a challenging passage for me today as I have struggled with stepping out of my cage and living dangerously for the cause of Christ. Most of us are so comfortable living in our nice houses, wearing our nice clothes, reading our Bible every day, saying our prayers, titheing the correct amount to our Church. Is this really getting out of our cage and living dangerously for God?

I urge you to step out of the cage today. I'm not saying everyone has the gift of being missional and needs to sell all of their posessions and move to Africa to do mission work. We all have different gifts. Are you using yours? Take in a foster child. Adopt a child that has no home. Lead a small group. Feed the homeless. Cook dinner for someone in need. Help someone pay a bill. Grab a coffee with someone who probably doesn't have anyone in their life wanting to get coffee with them. Give away clothes. Visit a homeless shelter and love on those people. Take Easter treats to a Retirement Center close by and give them away to the residents. Sponsor a child from Compassion International. Write them letters, send them care packages and love them because Jesus loves you.

I think God asks us to step out of our comfort zones and actually DO something to glorify Him.

How are you stepping out of your cage today? I know I have a lot to think about as I don't step out of mine near enough!

My Birthday

2009-03-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

This is not an announcement that it's my birthday. It's about a few thoughts I had today, on my birthday.

I thought back this morning on so many of my past birthdays. I can remember my birthdays all the way back to like middle school. I was thinking about different things that were important to me on each birthday.

I'm sure in middle school I was concerned about being popular and having cute clothes and worrying about what boys liked me, hoping that at least a few did. I remember thinking I was super cool because I was part of the "elite" class...the cheerleaders. I remember it being SO important that people like me, think I'm pretty and think I'm popular.

In high school a lot of that was still important to me but I was also very concerned with my "social life". I was, I'm sure, at every party anyone at Temple High School had. I loved the feeling that sometimes I might have been the "life of the party". It gave me comfort and security. (a false comfort and security).

I have had some really great, fun birthdays, filled with people that I love and that love me. I have also had some rough birthdays. Today I feel blessed to have had both.

The things that are important to me now are so key in life. My family, my amazing husband and beautifully sweet daughters, my friends (so many that I have had since even elementary school), my Church family, my City Group, my beliefs, my job, my co-workers and absolutely most of all...my growing relationship with Jesus. I am thankful for today. I am thankful for every birthday that I get to get up, be with my family and try to live my life to glorify Christ.

Matthew 10

2009-03-03T21:22:00.001-08:00

This morning,Nate and I read Matthew 10 together. There was one passage that really stood out to me and led me into a day of prayer that I would "lose my life" for God's sake and in turn, really truly find it. Lose my life in a sense that I lose what part of my life I find comfort and security and value in that is not from God.

The passage was this...Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Here it is...

2009-02-28T15:05:00.000-08:00

I am officially a brunette. A dark brunette. I know this is a shoddy picture as far as showing my actual hair but it at least gives you an idea of the color. I'll make Nate do a photo shoot of sorts to show you up close. Why I think you give a rip, I'm not sure.

I'm loving it so far...and I just made a donation of the difference to Compassion International.

Peace.

Get used to it...

2009-02-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

The hair color, I mean. On Friday, at 3:30pm, I will officially be a brunette. Don't try to talk me out of it...I've already made up my mind.

My reason for the picture and the blog post is so that you will be prepared so that when you see me next, I don't get looks of "holy crap, what the @*#^% did you do to your hair?". I don't need looks like that, k? I'm nervous enough already!

I walked out of the salon about a month ago and thought to myself "Never doing that again. I'm done. No more spending over $100 on my stupid hair. I can't write blogs about caring about people's needs and the fact that there are people who don't have beds to sleep in or shoes to wear or food to eat and then go drop $200 or more on my hair. I'm done. Finished." I was so annoyed with myself when I walked out of the salon that day!

I'm sure you're asking yourself, "What does it matter if you cut down on the cost of your hair if you're not going to do anything with that extra money to help people?" Well...I am. I am going to take the difference every 8 weeks and give it to a group called Compassion International.

So...here's to brunettes having as much fun as blondes!

What a weekend...

2009-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've already bragged about family/movie night on Friday but I have to include that again on this blog.

This weekend was such a fun, relaxing weekend and I wasn't ready for it to end this morning.

Friday night...3 movies starting at 5:30 pm and ending when we fell asleep. Bekah would be so proud...I stayed up for two and a half of them (Bekah is my childhood friend who would bring movies over and I'd be asleep 10 minutes into it and I think she labeled me as the "worst person ever to watch movies with").

Saturday I got up and had breafast at El Chilito with my friend Miranda. We are in a "fight club" together. You can read about fight clubs here: http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001825.cfm It was a beautiful day and we sat on the patio and read the word together but mainly, just talked about life...where we struggle, where we succeed, what God is doing in our lives right now, how we can pray for each other. It's awesome.

Saturday night, we got a babysitter and had the ultimate privilege of going to dinner and hanging out with our friends Wheels and Melissa. Always makes for a fun night. We ate at Vivo and then headed over to the Flying Saucer and had a beer or two.

Sunday morning we went to the Hideout for our last Sunday service there. It was bittersweet leaving the Hideout. The Hideout has been a huge part of Austin City Life's story and it has been a place where I have grown hugely in my faith. I hate to leave the cozy, quaint environment the Hideout provided but I am really excited about growing my faith more and hearing about Jesus more in this place called the Parish.

Sunday night we had a prayer and worship night at The Parish. It was powerful. God truly showed up. We prayed for each other, the Church and the city of Austin. I feel so blessed too, to have the talent we do in our Church as far as worship leading. It blows my mind.

Then, of course, people came over for the Oscars.

Today starts a new week...here's to another week of trying to follow Jesus as best I can.

I'm on a roll today...two posts in one day.

2009-02-20T20:54:00.001-08:00

The kids are asleep and Nate and I are on our third movie of the night...this is awesome!!

Family Night

2009-02-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

Tonight is family night. What that means is that we will actually all be home as a family tonight, without any plans, which is always nice.

Our weeks are so packed with things going on...work, kids, fight clubs, Sunday mornings at the Hideout (soon-to-be the Parish), Sunday Night Dinners, Lost, American Idol, Monday nights at the Gingerman, worship rehearsal...and most of these things are done in community with other people and sometimes lots of other people. The Navarros LOVE that but there is something special about a night at home with nothing but time to love on the kids.

I think tonight we'll grill out and then make a comfy pallet on the floor and watch a movie.

So excited.

Brentwood City Group Mission

2009-02-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

I really struggle with the tension between Matthew 5 and 6 when talking on my blog about missional work we are doing with our Church/City Group. Matthew 5 says to let your light shine before men so that they might see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. Matthew 6, on the other hand, says to be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

I think Jesus is mainly addressing the "heart" of the matter, which would be motive. Is my motive in updating my blog to receive praise and applause for the good our City Group is doing, or, is it to lead by example in what Jesus asks of us and point all glory to Christ? I pray it's the latter of the two.

City Groups at Austin City Life are to be the Church to our neighborhood. The City Groups are broken up as such (by neighborhood) and once a month we do a missional project in that neighborhood. We live in Brentwood and so we focus on this neighborhood in Austin.

Last night we visited a retirement center on Burnet Rd. and Justin Ln. http://www.retirementnursingcenter.com/ We took them Valentines cards and Nate played the guitar for them. They loved it. They loved that the kids were there, loved the music, and loved telling us stories of their childhood and early adulthood. They just needed to be loved on. They talked about their children, their past jobs, where they grew up, their neices and nephews. It felt good to meet them and love on them. We plan on going back once a month and trying to be a consistent presence to them.

Here are some pictures from the night:

Matthew 5

2009-02-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Last week Nate and I started getting up in the mornings and starting our day out together reading the Bible and praying. We started in Matthew and have read a chapter each day. Today we read Matthew 5.

Umm...pretty convicting stuff in Matthew 5. The Bible is good for so many things...convicting, motivating, encouraging, comforting, etc. The best thing about it to me is that I feel I get to know Jesus more intimately when I read about his teachings. I've said before that he is the most interesting person in the world to me. I mean that.

There is a lot packed into Matthew 5. Jesus talks about Christians being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Salt was a valued commodity in Jesus' day. It was expensive and sometimes Romans were even paid with salt. It was used to preserve meat and give flavor to food. Salt must keep it's flavor today to be of any use. We, as Christians, must also keep our "flavor" or we are useless. Jesus also says "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." This was heavy for me because it reminded me how much in the past I have hidden my light and committed bad deeds for others to see. God is changing my heart though and I am hoping that my light shines bright.

The last thing that Jesus talks about in Matthew is loving your enemies. I'll admit that I don't have many enemies and can count on just a few fingers people who might not like me. It is hard to imagine loving those people and praying for them every day. It is not a challenge in the Bible to do that. It is a command. My prayer for myself is to not just say I love my enemies so that I sound a little bit holier, but to really ask God to help me truly love them and pray for them. He talks about how easy it is to love those who love us back. "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" This is so challenging because it is so true. It's easy to love people who are easy to love. The true love of Christ though, shows love to those that are not easy to love.

Matthew 5 touches on so much...adultery, anger, forgiveness, boldness in faith, divorce, broken friendships. All pretty heavy stuff...but the cool thing about being convicted is knowing that Jesus went to the cross with our failures in these areas.

I am so thankful for that.

Prodigal God...get it and read it.

2009-02-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

I just read this today...such an awesome take on the true meaning of the Parable in the Bible about the man with two sons.

Please Read...

2009-02-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

I know I keep urging you to read the blogs of Jaime and Aaron Ivey and I'll urge you again today. Please go to: www.aaronivey.com and read Aaron's recent post called WANT. This post really speaks to me as I have felt God working on my heart to desire and want the things He wants me to desire and want. Not what the world wants me to desire and want.

For me, it is like alcoholism. It is a daily fight for me. A constant struggle. An addiction of sorts. I want the things the world tells me I need. Cute clothes. Cute shoes. A "nice" car. A house with lots of room and a big backyard. A "nice" neighborhood. Just the right jewelry for that one outfit. A skinny body. Highlighted hair.

I read over that list and realize what a schmuck I really am. I mean...really? Am I waking up and fooling myself every day into thinking I need these things? It's embarrassing.

My prayer for myself and for you is that every day I will fall more in love with Jesus and know that my only hope is in him and my true security lies within his love for me, not the world's.

Aaron's post about Want could do all of us a bit of good to read and maybe take some time to meditate today on the things we "want". Are they things God desires for us? Or...are they things the world desires for us?

Back to Blogging

2009-02-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry...I was angry with my blog because I couldn't get the stinking Christmas background off so I rebelled and didn't blog for a while.

I'm back.

Let me think about what all has happened since I blogged last... Ava got her hair cut, Jessica officially has a best fried that she emails with and says LYLAS(love ya like a sister) to, we had our first annual ACL Super Bowl Flag Football game, people have continued to do Sunday Night Dinner at our house, Austin City Life outgrew The Hideout and will be meeting for the first time at The Parish on March 1st, our City Group outgrew our house and like 25 people were consistently coming so we had to "multiply" and send some of them out to start a new group...A lot has happened since I last blogged.

Some of these things are super exciting like: moving to The Parish and seeing Jessica make good girlfriends at school and seeing our house fill up with people every week wanting to be in community with other believers.

I had a hard time with sending off the people from our City Group to start another one but I am also LOVING the new group. It is a great great group of people.

Once a month, we do something missional in our neighborhood and so next Tuesday, we are going to a Nursing Home down the street to love on the people living there. We are going to take Valentines cards to them and sing songs with them and just get to know them.

Here is a link to The Parish (a very reputable music venue in Austin) I've seen Pete Yorn and Brooke Fraser play there.

www.theparishroom.com

And...here are some pictures of Ava's haircut:

Weekend

2009-01-20T09:19:00.001-08:00

We had a packed weekend this last weekend. Friday night I had a girls night and played bunco with 19 other girls at Robie Dodson's (my pastor's wife) house! It was SO much fun! If you haven't played bunco before...I would highly recommend it. It makes for a very fun girls night. We had tacos and margaritas before we played.

Saturday morning, I took breakfast up to Dell Children's Hospital to Jamie Ivey and got to meet Fedna and hold her hand and talk to her. She was beautiful and I was so overwhelmed as I left just thinking about a)Jamie's selflessness b)how I take every day that my children are healthy for granted c)that I am still feeling a tugging on my heart that God wants more from me. Not sure what that looks like...praying about it. We'll see where God leads.

Saturday night Jessica had two friends spend the night and we took all the kids to Dart Bowl down the street from our house. We had a blast. Nate bowled a 201 and I'm starting to think he's been secretly bowling behind my back when the girls are at school. A bunch of our friends went with us and so did Matt and Alicia. Alicia came in second behind Nate. Cheaters. (I just felt like saying that).

Sunday I hauled four kids to Church without Nate (thanks Nate) and then we had Sunday Night Dinner again at our house. Love the fellowship!

No matter how you voted in this election, today is an important day in the history of our country. I am listening to the new President's inauguration address and I am praying for him, for his family and for our country.

The Ivey's

2009-01-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned to you before how much I am inspired by this girl Jamie Ivey and I'm not sure if you read her blog I posted but just a little background...

Her husband leads worship at a big Church here in Austin...called Austin Stone. She is a stay at home mom. They have one little boy named Cayden and a second son they adopted named Deacon. They have two more children in Haiti that they are adopting and will have by first of the Summer. Their names are Amos and Story.

For the last week, Jamie has been taking care of a little girl named Fedna who is here from Haiti for a surgical procedure. She has spina bifida. Jamie is her care taker while she is here. She has been in the hospital with her since the surgery and is acting as her "momma" until she gets to return to Haiti. I am blown away by the acts of service I see in this family. Truly an example of Jesus' love.

Please read their sites if you get time today. It will move you.

http://www.dreamingbigdreams.wordpress.com

http://www.aaronivey.com

Community

2009-01-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

I was thinking this morning about how important community is. We have such a great "community" here in Austin and I feel so blessed that our kids are growing up around that. Every Tuesday night we have City Group at our house and Nate leads it. We have gotten to be very close with these people and they have become family to us in a way. I feel that I have very special friendships with these people and I am so thankful.

Nate told me about an epiphany of sorts that he had a few weeks ago and it has stuck with me. He said that he was out having a beer with our pastor and a couple of other guys...talking about Jesus and what it looks like to be a follower. He realized how cool it was to be sitting and drinking a beer with the same guys he can talk about Jesus to. I mean, growing up, we both kept those groups of friends separate. There were the friends you could drink and party with. The friends you could pray with and talk about Jesus to. The other friends that you might open up to about blatant sin in your life. Never did these friends mesh. At least not for either of us. It feels really good to have such a healthy group of friends who we can do all of those things with.

Last night, we had Sunday Night Dinner at our house and some people from City Group came over and we all made our own pizzas and played Cranium. Jess played with us and made pizza with us. Ava bugged each of the people to come play her own game with her down on the living room floor. A few of them got suckered in. I can tell that the girls LOVE it. They get so excited when they see people pulling up and they don't want them to leave when it's time to go home. I think even Matt is starting to enjoy this community of people we share life with.

It made me realize how much our girls are starting to love community too. They are getting to witness people gathering together to hang out, eat food, love Jesus and drink beer.

I love it.

How Great Thou Art

2009-01-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Today I was literally moved to tears at Church. For many reasons. One...the worship was awesome and truly led me in worshipping God in a real way. Two...there were not enough seats for people. We started out with maybe 10 people in Jonathan and Robie's living room and I got choked up to see this morning what God is doing through Austin City Life. There were over 100 people there. Three...the message really moved me to thinking about what other little "powers" I worship in my life to make it feel complete. House, cars, relationships, kids, clothes, my job, money...I know that these things don't have to always be viewed as being negative things to have but when I am desiring them as much as God and sometimes more than God, they are fruitless. If I am honest with myself, I will admit that I usually have a much greater desire for my kids and family and friends than God.

We sang the song How Great Thou Art and today I left feeling like I had caught a glimpse of how great He truly is.

Spruce Up Your House

2009-01-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

This husband and wife are friends of ours through Ava's school. Their daughter Amelie has been in Ava's preschool class at Hyde Park Baptist for two years now. They are such a great couple and you might have actually met them at Ava's birthday party. Anyway...they are a real estate team of sorts. They buy the house, he remodels it, she sells it. This is their website: http://www.jhresidential.com/ On their blog, she has listed some really great inexpensive ideas for "sprucing" up your home in different ways. Check it out...some REALLY good ideas on there. All of her model houses are decorated beautifully. She has amazing taste. Here is her blog: http://www.jhresidential.com/blog/.

Forgive me for not knowing how to turn those into links.

Enjoy!

Twilight Series

2009-01-07T17:27:00.001-08:00

Ok...some of the girls in my city group were reading the Twilight book series by Stephanie Meyer. They were all raving about it and one girl talked about how she read the four book series in a week over the holidays. So...I bought book one at Target and read it in less than 24 hours (it's 500 pgs.) and then borrowed the second book from my friend Lori and read it in less than 24 hours. I am now waiting for the third book and then I will sink back into my alternate world of the beautiful relationship that is Bella and Edward:)

Convicted

2008-12-29T17:34:00.001-08:00

Well, I haven't updated in a while...

I hope everyone had a Christmas filled with joy, laughter and precious time with family. I also hope everyone took time to worship the Lord in their own way, remembering that it was his birthday. I tried really hard this Christmas to ignore all of the hustle and bustle and the presents and just remember that Jesus was born in a manger and then died a death he did not deserve so that I could live a life that I do not deserve. And, when I say I do not deserve it, I mean...I do not deserve it. Of course, human nature kicked in and I realized on the way home from Temple that I hadn't prayed in a couple of days.

I have really been convicted today about some things. I spent about an hour lying in bed this morning praying about things. One of the things I feel pretty convicted about is that I am surrounded by people in Austin that "get" the gospel. I mean, really "get" it. It convicts me because I realize I'm not there yet. I am trying every day to learn more about God and what he wants for us, as his followers. I still don't quite "get" it yet. The bible is pretty clear about who we are supposed to reach out to...orphans, widows and the poor. I have friends who live this out on a daily basis. This shouldn't just be something we "volunteer" to do. We should live it. It should be on our hearts, in our minds and should show in our actions. I do not live this out. I am pretty good about doing something "missional" once a month, but I don't "live" it. I feel God wanting more from me.

I pray that God gives me a heart for His people, particularly the widows, orphans and the poor. I pray that I start to "get" the gospel more and more each day.

Here are some people I look up to and strive to be like:

www.dreamingbigdreams.wordpress.com
www.muchhasbeengiven.blogspot.com
www.mpaustin.org

New York Trip

2008-12-19T06:14:00.001-08:00

Jess and I had an amazing time in New York. We had some very gracious hosts (Lisa and ruben, Drew and Ashley and Isaac) and we made some really great memories.

I told you guys a little about the first half of our trip and I'll tell a little more as I post pics.

The first two pics are of Jess and me at the Austin airport...ready for New York!

The first thing we did when we got into New York was head to Drew's school. It was a really great school...very creative education oriented. This little girl in the next picture is Ginger. She was taking a ballet class there that day and she fell in love with Jessica. Her nanny informed us that her imaginary friend's name is Jessica so she must have thought her imaginary friend had come to see her! She was an extremely precocious little girl.

Later that night, Jess and I went to the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The entire show was great and at the very end, she flew out over the crowd in the last scene.

After Mary Poppins, we walked around Times Square and Rockefeller Center and that is where most of these next pictures are from.

On Saturday, Jess and I visited the Museum of Natural History. We saw an awesome IMAX movie about Sea Creatures and the beginning times when Dinosaurs walked the Earth. It was another favorite part of the trip. We also walked through a butterfly observatory and butterflies were flying EVERYWHERE around us. They would land on your body and your clothes. They were beautiful!

Later that night, we met up with Robert Allen (old friend from Belton) whose mom, Laura Messer, I used to work for. He lives in New York and manages a store there called Jack Rabbit Sports. They sell clothing and gear for running, biking, swimming and triathalons. They would be the "RunTex" of New York. (For you Austinites, you know what that means.)

This is a picture of us on Lisa's rooftop of her apartment building. You can see the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn and all of New Jersey from her rooftop.

And last...but definitely not least...this might be another favorite moment on the trip...

He was on our flight home...Hook 'em!!

Again, we had an amazing time and made some wonderful mother/daughter memories. Now...looking forward to Ava's tenth!!

I promise to post pics from New York...

2008-12-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

Either today or tomorrow. I haven't stopped since we got off of the plane so when I get a free second...they'll be up here!

New York

2008-12-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

Ok...I wanted to give a half-way-through-the-trip summary.:
(For those of you who don't know, I am in New York with Jess for her 10th birthday. It's a mother/daughter trip that I will make again with Ava for her 10th. )

We arrived yesterday around noon and came straight to my friend Lisa's apartment. Her apartment is amazing and is in such a cool, hip part of town. We unpacked our bags and relaxed for a while at her apartment until she got home and then we visited with her a bit. She is a purse designer here in New York (www.lisakornman.com) and she is such a gracious hostess.

We then headed to Drew's school and watched him play the piano for a three year old ballet class. You could tell the little girls LOVED him and they were so precious in their little tutu's. For those of you who don't know this little fact, Drew teaches quite the group of famous children: Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter), Ed Burns' son (who I saw), Steve Nash's twins and some other actress...can't remember her name. Anyway, this one little girl named Ginger fell in love with Jessica. Her nanny told us that she has had an imaginary friend named Jessica for a while and we think she thought her imaginary friend had come to life. Jessica loved it. Ginger hopped in a picture with us so you will meet her later when I post pictures.

We left Drew's school and grabbed a burger at Edwards (www.edwardsnyc.com) in Tribeca. Very cool little place. We had fun sitting there eating and people watching.

At 7:30 we headed over to Times Square to the New Amsterdam Theater to watch Mary Poppins. It was fantastic. I would highly recommend it. The girl who played Mary Poppins did an amazing job and it made me want to come home and watch the movie. I forget how great that movie is. After Mary Poppins, we walked around Times Square so that Jess could see the huge billboards and lights and then we walked over to Rockefeller Center and took pictures in front of the tree. Had so much fun! We didn't get home until 1am and we were both exhausted!

This morning, we woke up, had coffee with Lisa, met Drew for brunch at this place called The Diner (www.thedinernyc.com) which was awesome. It's in Lisa's neighborhood. After brunch, Jess and I headed to the Museum of Natural History. That was really fun for both of us.

We are at Lisa's apartment right now about to get ready for a Christmas party. I will add more later and post pictures. I have documented the entire trip!

Sanity

2008-12-11T06:10:00.000-08:00

Let's all take a moment and pray for my sanity as today begins an extremely busy next 8 days. Jessica and I leave tomorrow for New York (yay!) and we get home on Monday.

On Monday night, we are eating dinner with family for her birthday.

On Tuesday night, we are hosting a party at our house for these three homeless/poor families and their combined 11 kids. (I won't have to do too much because everyone from our Church and even friends of ours who don't go to our Church are helping with this party). I am excited about this one because these kids have never had Christmas. We have presents for each of the kids, mattresses for the ones that don't have beds, clothes for all of them, a huge bag of groceries for each family, a family Christmas picture by Jen Cota, Christmas cookies that they get to ice and decorate, a Christmas Bingo game we get to play with them and then food and drinks they can enjoy at the party.

On Wednesday night, we have dinner with some new friends we met.

On Thursday, I am hosting 15 ten year old girls for a SLUMBER party at our house for Jess' birthday party. That's right...15!! I'm sure you're wondering where they all will sleep. Valid question...I haven't figured that out yet.

On Friday, we are AGAIN hosting a Christmas Sweater Party that Gran so graciously loaned me four Christmas sweaters for. We invited everyone from our Church and 49 people have already responded that they are coming. 40 have not responded.

So...raise your hand if you're thinking I'm crazy.

Ok...now raise your hand if you know me and know that I work best under pressure.

(I raised my hand for crazy)

Let's see how this goes...

2008-12-09T08:41:00.001-08:00

I'm honestly not a blogger. You might even try to get back on here in a week and the site is down. But...let's see if I can make this interesting enough for people to read. I'll start off with a little snipit about the Navarros.

We met in Austin. Married in Austin. Lived in Austin for a year afer that while Nate traveled in a rock band. Had Ava Jean Navarro. Moved to Belton (where Melissa is from). Nate quit the band and started painting and then leading worship. Moved back to Austin to help start a Church, which we are still a part of, called Austin City Life. Nate is the Director of Missional Community at ACL. We are living out the meaning of being a Christian and learning every day with this community of people how to love Jesus more and in turn, love people more. We don't have it down perfectly yet. Probably never will. But here's to us never ceasing on trying our hardest.

We live in a cute old house with our beautiful daughters, Jessica and Ava. Nate loves UT football and Thunderbird coffee. Melissa loves Christmas time and Enchiladas y Mas. Jessica loves her friends at school and Ava loves staying up until midnight. Our whole family loves having an open door policy at our house that people are actually taking advantage of.

So...again, we'll see how this goes.