Table Rock State Park, in Forest, S.C.

This morning we decided that we would go on an adventure after church, and check out Table Rock State Park. So after the (fabulous) service, the five of us, and Lori, our trusty GPS navigator, headed to the northwestern corner of South Carolina. We had no idea where we were going, but Lori did, and she has never steered us wrong. (Except that one time in Charlotte, NC, but I don't think that was entirely her fault.) After driving about 45 minutes, we reached our destination. Table Rock is a beautiful place on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We spent the afternoon exploring the hiking trails, and swimming in the waterfalls. We managed to escape to the car right as an afternoon cloudburst past through, scared all the people away, and left the park empty when the sun came out 30 minutes later. The kids had so much fun at a waterfall area, and Luis even took them to stand behind that waterfall. They thought that was just plain awesome. Lily wanted so badly to be with her Dada and brothers in the water, but her cast is still on for 3 more days. Luis did carry her in a bit, so she was happy. She is most definitely a "Daddy's girl", and not afraid to show it. One fun thing I learned is how much Luis enjoys hiking. We have never really had a chance to hike, since Arizona was too hot, and the Lowcountry has snakes, alligators, and gnats. I will say I think I prefer gnats to the monstrous mountain mosquitoes that I saw today-they were a scary sight. One bite from them, and you're blood is drained! We stopped in a nature observatory where they had local wildlife in display...mainly snakes...which the boys thought were super cool (me, not so much). The lady working there told me that the bears stay up in the higher elevations...but I had a hard time believing her, since there were "bear-proof" trash cans everywhere...anyway, it was a great, off the cuff outing, and a place I know we will definitely visit many times. Here's some pictures from today.

School's Out! (well, almost)

We are winding down the first school year here in Anderson County, and it has been such a wonderful year! Josh did so great transferring from being home schooled to third grade in the public school. He finished out the year making A/B honor roll for the whole year, highest average in math and math concepts, won the Panda pride award for citizenship, and received fitness reading recognition. He is a great all around student. He's made lots of new friends, and played soccer and baseball. He's sad that many of his friends will not be in the same class with him next year, but he is happy that he is in Mr. White's class. (He was hoping to get him for fourth grade!) Jonathan loved Kindergarten, especially his teacher Mrs. Jones, and his buddies Morgan, Taylor and Andrew. He loved art and music, and hated PE (but I think it was more because of the teacher than the class itself). I was very pleased with the schools here in Belton-they were much better than I even anticipated.

Here's some pictures from Jonathan's awards day today. His teacher named him an "awesome athlete". He's all over the place, but that's my Jonathan!

My children each bring me unique joy...Jonathan is my sunshine!

NANI

WE WANT YOU...

TO KNOW WE'LL FIGHT ANY GIANT

CLIMB ANY HEIGHT

 TRAVERSE GREAT DARKNESS

 AND CROSS RAGING SEAS...

To wish you a Happy Birthday!

We love and miss you so much and can't wait to see you soon! Hugs and kisses from all of us on your Birthday!

Love:

Leslie, Luis, Josh, Jonathan and Lily

Let Freedom Ring

Have you ever had something happen, and you knew God was speaking directly to you? I did today, as I heard this song on the radio. My heart was stirred as I thought about someone who I know that lives this life. I am praying that true freedom comes one day. Why would someone choose to hide instead of being set free? I guess the initial embarrassment of disclosure-the fear of being "found out", paralyzes many. Today this person realized that her wall was transparent. What a perfect opportunity to knock it down once and for all!! This could be the beginning of healing that is a long time coming. I say a few moments of feeling humbled by the admittance of sins is a small price to pay for true freedom. Don't let this opportunity pass. Be brave, my friend-Let freedom ring!

Here are the lyrics:

Healing begins

So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you're good
And you can't believe it's not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now
We're here now, oh

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don't fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Broken

I had the complete misfortune of breaking my baby girl's arm yesterday. It was a horrible accident. I slipped and fell at a ball game, and because I had her arm, she was yanked down with my momentum. She cried for an hour, and was only able to calm down when we got home and she rested in her Daddy's arms. This morning I looked her over. Her arm looked fine, and there was no bruising. Then, as I watched her try to do the things she normally does, I saw that she was favoring her arm way too much. She was just not acting like my little Lily. I knew that I needed to bring her to the doctor. After a set of X-rays, my suspicions were confirmed: fracture.

It's awful to think that Lily walked all last night and this morning with a broken arm. Now that we are home, I have had a chance to process everything. Lily is still sore, but her arm is secure, splinted and on the mend. Restraining it in the splint makes her arm rest, even with all the energy of a 20 month old. This whole incident placed an interesting question inside my head. I wondered how many people just walk around broken on the inside without anyone noticing? The majority of people that we meet in our every day life look fine and seem to act the way society deems as normal. All of us, at times, have broken areas hidden deep inside of us. A death of a loved one, a relationship severed, a major disappointment...all can cause a brokenness. The rate in which we heal varies from person to person, from situation to situation. No one can put a time limit on your wholeness, but one thing is for sure, eventually, the brokenness should heal. I have recently met a woman who's brokenness has not yet healed. It has been four years since her 24 year old son was killed in a motorcycle accident. She has tried to use alcohol to cover the pain. Temporarily she finds relief, even if it is a false sense of healing. I met with her just the other day at a hospital in Seneca. She was the patient, and her husband brought her in with chest pain and heart attack symptoms. A day later, she was release with a clean bill of health and a healthy heart from what all the instruments show. It's too bad brokenness isn't a monitorable condition on an EKG. It only took me a few moments of conversing with this sweet lady to realize that she was hurting, and hurting badly. She was not able to mask it, and she wore her wounds on her sleeve. Unfortunately, there are many people who have an ability of hiding their brokenness so that it isn't readily detected as quickly as it was in my friend. I think the main reason is because it takes courage and humility to admit when we are broken, and some people find it very difficult to let their true self show. Some blame their brokenness on past experiences, using that as their eternal crutch, choosing to play the part of a victim rather than an overcomer. Others are blind to their own brokenness, and have somehow managed to deceive themselves into thinking they are fine. Our Pastor recently preached about how a deceived person is the most diffcult person to work with, because not only are they broken, but they believe they are whole and everyone else has a problem. Life is not always easy, but living life being broken and/or deceived is not the abundant life God promises to each one of us.

I have walked through brokenness many times in my life. Each instance was different, some were caused by others and some were self inflicted. I am thankful that the Lord had placed people in my life who stood by me and helped me through some of those times. Other times, I can recall when God chose to be my help Himself. The times when I didn't want to admit my brokenness, I failed to create an atmosphere for healing, and the process was slow. The times when I was able to freely say, "I'm hurting, I don't know what to do, but I desire to be whole again", the Lord made the process much more swift and bearable. We all need motivation to want to be whole. Physical pain is a powerful motivator, but often our brokenness can't be felt in the same way a broken arm can. No one wants to get hurt. No one wants to be broken. And as much as we wish they could, no one can walk down the path to wholeness in our place. The promise that we have is that we will never walk it alone, for the Lord Himself will lead us.
And when we look back on our brokenness sitting on the fence of wholeness, we too can proclaim just as David of old, "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.

You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!" Psalm 30:11-12 (NLT)