Pizza Party!

So my brother and SIL called last night and asked to bring over pizza! Well...would we ever say no to that? NO!!! So...over they came laden with pizza....and I mean laden....6 large pizzas, crazy bread, and cheese bread.

We had a great time! Thanks S & K! What a great Christmas Eve Eve get together.

Kally's Baptism

Today Kally was baptized! She had confessed her belief in and her love of Jesus quite a while ago, but we waited to make sure that she understood as much as an eight year old could before we jumped into baptism.

So....today was the day!

She waited (with Rainey and Rawley) as our pastor said a few words.
Then....Ben was given the privilege of baptizing Kally! What a special honor...for all of us.
Old creation.....
Raised to newness of life with Jesus!

Bailey's Welcome Home

Gingerbread House Day!

She's Baaack!

As we drove up to our house from picking up Bailey, this was what greeted her! Ben spent a couple of hours outside in the freezing wind putting this up on our garage.

We are so thrilled to have Bailey back home!

Thought for the Day

What is it about family that can rip your heart out?

Sad, Sad Day

We found out some sad news the other day....another couple we have known since we got married is divorcing.

This couple lived right next door to us in our first house.

Our husbands were both in the Air Force and we lived on base.

They have been married two weeks longer than we had.

We both got dogs at the same time...theirs lasted in their family longer than ours did :).

We went together and purchased a picnic table to put between our houses so that we could share meals together when the weather was nice.

We ate at each other's homes at least once a week.

We went out together as couples to dinner, movies, shopping, etc...

We shared each other's first year anniversary wedding cake. The top of the cake that had been frozen for the first year.

Our first children were born within months of each other.

They were even in Little Rock when we moved there. She and I would go once a month or so to lunch and catch up and enjoy each other's company.

Why are they quitting? It is devastatingly sad to me. What struggles did they face that we haven't faced? Why have they allowed divorce to even be an option? I am sad for me...sad for their kids...and sad for them.

My Heart Overflows!

My Bailey is coming home tomorrow! I am so thrilled to have all my kiddos home. Words can hardly express the fullness of my heart at the thought of Bailey home! You know in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the line that said "His heart had grown two sizes that day." Well...each day that has gotten closer to her return, my heart has grown. I'd say I'm well beyond two sizes...

Though I really want Bailey home....I am most grateful at how God has worked in her life while across the pond in Italy. The radiance you see in her face is Jesus shining through. He has moved in her life mightily and created bonds for her that will change her life forever. She will forever have a connection to Italy and it's people.

Join me in praying for Bailey's safe trip home. My heart continues to grow as the hours grow closer. To have my heart complete after three and a half months will mean joy will overflow, love will abound, and mercy and grace are lavished on me.

To God be the glory!!!

My Thought for the Day

Why does God choose to lavish me with grace and mercy? I am so undeserving, yet he heaps and heaps it on me!

So I am spending a bunch of time cleaning these days. Bailey is on her way home soon after three and a half months in Italy serving as a missionary. I want the house to look really nice and perfect for her. AND...it's always a good time of year for me to clean like this.



I have been taking a room a day and going over it top to bottom...cleaning out the trash I find under beds....finding clothes once thought long lost...bringing out toys that had been forgotten. There have been bags of trash, lots of laundry, and many bags of give away items. We do that to bless others and to make room for the new things that will be found under the tree in a few weeks.



So far I have done two complete rooms. I have three more rooms upstairs and then I work downstairs as Bailey's arrival date gets closer and closer.



As satisfying and refreshing as this is, I have been thinking about all the energy, time, and thought I have put into preparing for Bailey's return. Now, Jesus is returning also. I am to be preparing for His return...which is even more important than Bailey's return. I am to be ready. Am I? Am I doing the things I need to be doing to be prepared for Jesus' return? Am I putting in the same amount of energy, time, and thought into His return? He is coming back just as surely as Bailey is. It is guaranteed. He has promised it. Just as Bailey has return tickets to come home....Jesus has a time to come back too...

Friends and Fellowship

So...my camera is doing funky things...or it could be user error...but I'm choosing to believe the first thing. But, our class had a fellowship tonight. Several of us met at Shang Hai for dinner and had a great time.

The cutie patootie at the end is a sweet, sweet girl. Our dear friends just brought her back from Korea and this was the first time we were able to meet her in person! Almost makes me want another baby....I did say almost!

We feel so blessed to know these people....and feel more honored to call them friends.

For When I am Weak, Then I am Strong

My daddy has Alzheimers. I hate that! I hate that he gets angry because he knows that he doesn't know something that he used to know. But more than hating it, it makes me very sad...

Daddy was always my SuperMan! He could do anything. He could fix anything. He knew so much about so much. He is the most gentle man I know. I have never heard him raise his voice ever. He has a great sense of humor. He loves his family more than life itself. He has followed Jesus since he was a little boy. I have always been proud to say that Doug Burgess is my daddy.

Life is changing for all of us because of his Alzheimers. He gets confused on where he is. He can't find the words to say. He gets more and more uncomfortable around too many people. (and the number of "too many" is getting smaller and smaller every day)

His mind is getting more and more fogged over. That is hard to watch. The fog lifts right now for long periods and then suddenly it settles back again; but we all know the day is coming when the fog doesn't lift, but will get thicker and denser. The day that daddy doesn't recognize me is going to be, up to that point, the most painful day of my life. I know it's coming. I know God has a plan for all of us in this. I know that in Heaven, daddy will have the clearest mind and the strongest body!

I'm glad that when we are weak, then Jesus is strong! Because daddy is getting weaker, so I can rest in the promise that Jesus is getting stronger and stronger in him. Praise God!

Waiting Period.

This is a period of waiting for me.

Waiting for Bailey to get home. Waiting for my 3 yr. old to grow out of certain behaviors. Waiting for things that are planned to happen on Women's Ministry Council at our church. Waiting for co-op to begin again. Waiting for Jesus' birth. Waiting for Ben to begin his seminary classes at Dallas Theological. Waiting for decisions on things that are pending.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

It's not easy to wait. It can be difficult and at times, frustrating. It can be a little lonely when there are things you want to share, but can't just yet. It can create anxiety knowing that others have some part of your life in their hands as they make decisions about you.

Joy. Joy. Joy.

But, I must say, that this time has been the sweetest time I have had with Jesus in a long time! He has met my frustration with calm. He has met my loneliness with friendship. He has met my anxiety with peace.