Just So We're All Clear...

If I die of the swine flu, I'd prefer the word,
"swine" to not be said at my funeral.

Happy BD Honey

We wish you a Happy Birthday.

We also wish you had dreadlocks.

We love you Husband and Daddy.

Whatever would we do if you were never born?

Who would make us laugh?

Who would tickle us until "tears come out of our wee-wee*?"

Who would wake us up in the morning with annoying songs?

Who would drive us insane with lines from Nacho Libre?

Who would remind us to love the Lord,
and remember Him in all we do?

We're so thankful for your life today,
and thankful that your life makes our lives so sweet.

We love you!

-- wife, Anson, Hayden, Ashton and Hudson

*this line does not apply to the wife Hendrick.

You're Invited

Short Version:

We're having a casual get together, next Wednesday night (May 6) at our home at 8:00 p.m.

We'll be sitting down with three newlywed couples, who truly desired to honor God's Word in regard to sexual stuff during the time they dated, and the time when they were engaged.

I just said, "sexual stuff" so that's proof...this thing will be casual. Don't expect any powerpoint slides.

Girls/guys/parents are welcome to attend.

These verses (and many others) were ones that brought deep conviction and hope to the couples we'll be learning from as they made the journey from single to married...

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

Now in the Amplified Version ...

Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Ephesians 5:3
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

1 Timothy 5:1b-2
Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

Aaron and I will facilitate a laid back discussion between these couples, asking them questions about how the Lord guided them, with scripture to safeguard their hearts and lives against sexual sin before they were married. We'll ask them things like, "How did these verses shape your relationship with each other before you were married?"

These couple's approaches were different, since of course, these couples are different, but it's been a huge blessing for us as parents, to watch people date and do the engagement thing free from a lot of the sexual junk that plagues most dating relationships (ours included).

I think this will be a night of great hope as we hear their struggles, their testimonies, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the fruit of living with those verses in mind while they were dating and engaged.

None of these people are claiming to be perfect, but I believe their hearts and their stories will fill us all with hope that God is doing a beautiful thing in the lives of couples as they pursue purity in dating and engagement. I have been blessed to see the gospel lived out in the way that these couples have loved one another, loved the body and loved the Lord.

Long Version....

What this night will NOT be about is trying to convince people that sexual stuff prior to marriage is sinful. We believe purity should be the goal in all areas of our lives, so of course we believe that sexual stuff before marriage is...sin. We are always asking God to help us understand and honor marriage better. We want to see marriage the way God does. We believe all this sexual poo prior to marriage is one way, we devalue marriage.

For more on these sort of topics, you can read these previous posts:

Introduction to the topic

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3 from dating worksheet we do in Her Hands. The comments under these two sections are worth reading.

Post 4 from dating retreat last Spring.

Aaron and I are NOT claiming to be the authority on dating. What a joke. But, I don't apologize for having our own convictions and thoughts as we work through these verses with fear and trembling. Not only do we have our own dating relationship to pick apart, look through, and GRIEVE...we're also parents. We would be foolish NOT to be thinking through these ideas, since one day, we will walk with our sons down this road.

You don't have to share our exact convictions on how these verses should be lived out. But let me warn you...we DO have convictions about these verses and the way they are lived out. We may not be completely right. We're humans. We're still learning.

We won't say we're the only ones right on this dating stuff. We won't say we know the best way to do this. We won't say we're right and others are wrong.

We WILL say that our desire is to figure out how to shepherd hearts towards loving God, and honoring Him as they go from single to married. We also are pretty passionate about wanting those same things for our sweet boys one day too.

We WILL continue to throw out scripture and say, "Let's think through what God is saying here, knowing that He wants good for us, He loves us, and wants to protect us from the evil around us."

No matter what, I think these are great things...wonderful things actually, that need to be thought through. We are called to CAREFULLY find out what pleases the Lord. We're called to live purposefully. We're called to think through everything in our lives that our world and our culture throws at us, and we're commanded to use scripture as the foundation for all of our questions and conclusions.

If you're coming on Wednesday night, then I believe the Lord needs to have already convicted your soul on this matter of sexual purity in dating/engagement. We're not doing any teaching on dating this evening, and this certainly will NOT be a debate. We're simply saying, if God has already spoken to you through His Word about purity, your desire is to pursue it and honor God as you go from single to married, but you need hope...you have questions...you are struggling...you want to know if "waiting on the Lord" in this area is worth it...then this evening is for you.

If you have a teen, and you're back and forth between what the standards for sexual purity should be for your child, and you need to be encouraged that maybe you're not a lunatic, that God really can bring two people together without a bunch of sexual yuck being involved, then I think you'll leave inspired and your faith in the Lord renewed.

This will not be a night about legalism.

We pray that this evening's discussion is centered around bringing honor to the Lord in the way that singles love one another, and engaged couples wait on the Lord with purity in mind.

I pray we all get to see some real-life examples of people seeking to live out the beauty of God's Word, to heed it's warnings, and to fear the Lord in the area of sexual purity. The safeguards these couples put in place to protect their hearts from sin, and keep their eyes on the Lord, are different, but their hearts were the same. They wanted to heed scripture's warning in regard to sexual purity. I believe ANY time God does something as lovely as what I've seen in these couple's lives, that we can ALL learn from it.

_____________________________________________________________

Anyone is welcome to come listen.

If you're coming, I need to know.

If there's more interest than I'm anticipating there will be, we may have to find a different location.

Either leave a comment to tell me you're coming or email me at hendrickcrew@gmail.com

Stay Small?

Dear Hudson,

It has come to my attention, that no matter how much I wish you would stay little, you are refusing to comply.

Standing up?

Growing teeth?

Trying to walk?

Who said you could do those things?

It certainly was NOT your mother.

Sweet baby, please...please...stop this nonsense.

Can't you stay small forever?

Is that too much to ask?

No matter how much I begged them to stay tiny, your older brothers just laughed at me and grew taller and taller, smarter and smarter and pretty soon, began saying awful, mean things like, "I'm a big boy Mommy. I want to do this by myself."

The nerve.

So baby boy I'm begging you...

stay small

stay cuddly

stay put

stay in my arms and on my lap

Cause I know, one day, Daddy won't let me have any more little ones to squeeze. He's gently warned me that eventually people stop adding babies to their home.

He says one day, I'll have to borrow other people's babies.

You might be the last of the Hendricks.

Notice how "the last of the Hendricks" sounds a lot like the Last of the Mohicans?

I guarantee you the thought of having no more babies in this house to love, to hold, to smother with kisses seems as tragic to me as that movie.

Little one...

I'll ask you this every day.

I'll never stop.

Could you, would you, please pretty please, stay little forever?

Love,

Mommy

Where Did We Get This One?

"Hey Mom...."

"Check out my hairy pit."

That's life with Hayden.

When the rest of the world sees a loofah, Hayden sees armpit hair.

Hayden makes this house laugh.

Addendum to the Adendum below

Addendum is spelled with two d's.

Thanks for not offering automatic spell check in the title line, blogger...thanks a lot for that.

Addendum to the post below

Actually....

The more I think about it, the more I think this book is for everyone.

So far, I think it's one of the best books I've read that handles the idea of marriage, family, womanhood/manhood as though it affects the entire church. It does! I'm guilty a lot of times, of thinking some issues don't affect me. But, if they affect the people I go to church with, they DO affect me. They should affect me.

So in addition to thinking this book would be a great read for anyone raising sons and daughters, I think it would also be great for anyone mentoring teens or college students.

I think it would be great for singles to read...both males and females. Females...to know what God says is important for men...what they should be looking for in the men trying to get their attention. And for males...so far, I love how this book isn't just a book of ideas. Ideas are great, but sheesh....I'm raising a household of boys, and I've seen firsthand that ideas alone, just don't cut it. People can say a lot of things about Voddie Baucham, but I think we would all agree...the man just gets to the point. He talks straight. He's honest, does not beat around the bush, but I always leave his books and his "talks" very aware of God's grace.

If nothing else, with this book I think Baucham gives us all, in the Christian community some great things to think about and talk about...and for the love...these things...they need to be talked about!

What's Done Today....

From Voddie Baucham's new book...

"Jonathan Edwards is perhaps the most influential American theologian of all times. Born in 1703, his books are still a mainstay in Christian colleges and seminaries. More importantly, his collected works are featured prominently in many pastors' libraries.

However, far too few people know the other side of Edwards's story. Edwards was not only a remarkable preacher, professor, pastor and prolific author. He was also a loving family man. He was devoted to his wife, Sarah, for thirty-one years until his death in 1758. He led in regular family worship and oversaw the education of his eleven children. Moreover, his was a multigenerational legacy seldom seen before or since.

In 1900 A.E. Winship studied what happened to 1,400 descendants of Jonathan and Sarah by the year 1900. He found they included 13 college presidents, 65 professors, 100 lawyers and a dean of a law school, 30 judges, 66 physicains and a dean of a medical school, and 80 holders of public office, including three US Senators, mayors of three larges cities, governors of three states, a Vice-President of the United States, and a controller of the United States Treasury. They had written over 135 books and edited eighteen journals and periodicals. Many had entered the ministry. Over 100 were missionaries and others were on mission boards."

Jinkies.

What a challenge.

It's too easy sometimes to be short sighted and think what happens in our homes only affects this generation.

Maybe it's hard to think so far ahead in the future.

It is for me.

But most of us don't have to look into the future to see that what happens now doesn't just affect our lives.

Most of us can look back and see generations of godliness passed on for generations, or generations of sin passed down from one household to another.

Exodus 20:4-6
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love men and keep my commandments.

I was moved by the study done on Jonathan Edward's descendants.

I'm sure, since Jonathan and Sarah Edwards were human, they weren't perfect.

Raising 11 kids had to be mind boggling at times.

My initial thought is that God takes our attempts, our desire to obey...and a willing heart...and does wonders with those three things, in spite of our short comings.

Reading about the impact one couple...one husband, one wife had on our world and on the kingdom of God is so encouraging.

On those days when I feel like I might collapse under the weight of this task called Motherhood, it's good to remember that what is done here today, tomorrow and the next will have an impact on days I will never see.

When I'm tempted to think this job is unimportant, that other things besides investing in the lives of my children would be more fulfilling, and more worthwhile, I can think of Sarah Edwards.

I think she would look back through time, examine the legacy of godliness they left, the people impacted because of the people she raised in her home, and she would laugh at me, and tell me nothing could be further from the truth.

And just so you know...when I imagine sitting down and having a chat with Sarah Edwards, even though she wasn't black, I imagine that she's a lot like Claire Huxtable.

__________________________________________________________________

This is a great book, by the way.

We're not finished with it, but so far, it's one of those books that I can already tell will impact our lives in a forever way.

We recommend it for anyone who is raising a daughter, and anyone who is raising sons who will one day marry someone's daughter.

I started reading it because I wanted to see if I should have married Aaron.

Kidding.

I'll probably share what I'm learning as I read this book.

I won't be able to help it.

Two Kinds

Not long ago, I left the house, setting out to "go run."

It was hotter than I prefer the weather to be when running, but it was the only time I had, so hot weather running, it would have to be.

I filled my sonic cup up with fresh, ice water and strategically placed that cup on a picnic table in just the right spot, where I could loop back around, on this long run, and get a drink at the half way point.

2 minutes into running, I was wanting that drink.

I was daydreaming about the ice.

My legs were running, but in my mind, I was doing the back stroke through a swimming pool of Sonic's pebble sized, perfect ice.

Water.

I wanted it.

I couldn't stop thinking about it, or running towards it.

Water.

Almost there.

This has taken forever.

I turned the last corner...

My water.

I can see the table...

But wait, where is my water?

But wait...where did those kids come from...those kids who were not there 2 miles ago....those kids near the table where my water should be...

But wait...what the HECK is that in that kid's hand right there...that kid who is DIGGING with something in the sand volley ball area.

But wait...that's my water cup.

I got to my water and wanted to cry.

I looked down near that kid and there was my ice...in a big melting pile on the ground near his feet.

And there was my cup...completely covered in dirt.

I hated kids in that moment.

I'm not kidding...I really did.

He ruined my run.

Ruined it.

I was so looking forward to that freezing cold, refreshing water...and there it was, on the ground.

Water.

I wanted it.

It's what kept me going...kept me running...kept me moving...and every fiber of me was craving it, wanting it and needing it.

I came home to my sons coloring on the front porch.

As I walked past them I said, "Boys...look at me...look at me."

They did.

"Never...and I mean NEVER dump out someone's water. It's so mean and rude."

They went back to coloring.

______________________________________________________________

You know those automatic toilets?

I don't like them.

You go.

You get done, and they don't flush...and then you have to do all sorts of weird things, you're not really proud of, in order to try to get the evidence you were there to go far, far away.

So you walk out the door, then back in, which is even more fun if people are outside the door waiting in line to come inside. Is the sensor in the door? No. It's not in the door.

You wave your hands in the air...in spastic fashion, in front of a dirty potty.

You go back over your steps, simulating the entire "tee-teeing" experience, but this time, while wearing your clothes.

Why does this have to be this hard? I can't believe I'm doing this.

You think to yourself, "If I just do a little hip hop dancing in here, surely something I do will set this thing off."

Do a few hip hop moves, trying NOT to touch the walls of the stall. If you do bump into the wall...shutter...gag...convulse.

Suddenly remember that although people can't see your body, they can see your feet under the door.

Turn red.

Give up.

Wonder why they made electric potties...is it because some people weren't flushing, because if that's why I just had to faux pee with my pants on, and still leave the toilet unflushed, then something has gone terribly wrong here.

OR worse

I haven't even completely stood up and the thing flushes, and has a jet engine in it. Where are they trying to take my pee? To China?

Water splashes on my skin.

Toilet water...on my skin.

A drop of it on my skirt.

I stand there in shock for a moment...totally violated...I think I would feel the same exact way if some stranger walked up and licked my arm.

Toilet water

TOILET WATER

on me!

What just happened here?

Someone set me on fire.

Where are those weird orange things from Monster's Inc. that swoop down from the ceiling, and then burn all your hair off? Where are those thing when you need them?

________________________________________________________________

Water

Some of it's good.

Some of it's bad.

At church this weekend, Allen mentioned this passage...

James 3:9-11
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

It's obvious from scripture that our words are supposed to be used for one purpose...to bless others.

We are to encourage one another, spur each other on, build each other up, teach with wisdom on our tongues...

That can be overwhelming when I think through those verses in light of being a wife, mother and friend.

It's obvious when I look at my life, that my mouth can seem more like a toilet some days than that refreshing sonic cup filled with ice.

I want my words to be so kind, so sweet, so wise, so encouraging that people look forward to hearing them.

Instead of being something people run towards, my mouth can be something that sends them running away.

Instead of being something refreshing, my mouth can violate and hurt others.

I keep thinking today about what James says...

My [sisters], this should not be!

If You Want to Swim

I looked at this picture and thought..."Man, we have a lot of babies."

Look at the child to mother ratio. That can't even be safe.

It's that time of year again...

The time when a bunch of moms load up their kids every day and head to the pool.

If you want to know when we'll all be swimming during the week, email me at hendrickcrew@gmail.com

I'll put together an email group so we can let each other know where we'll be.

I love summer.

I love seeing my kids playing, almost every day with their friends.

I love seeing my sweet friends too, and meeting new friends at the pool.

I love how good swimming is for my kid's bodies.

I love how fat just looks better tan...come on...you know it does.

I love all the conversations that go on between moms of all ages, and between married and single women.

College girls...if you're here, and bored, come hang out with us! If you're in college and feel insecure about your body, I always say..."Come hang out with all the moms at the pool. We'll do wonders for your self esteem!"

Ah...summer.

Have I mentioned I love it?

Summer Thighs

Originally posted April 3, 2008


Sitting on the couch

with boys

and a book

reading about shoes

on centipedes

Out of the corner

of my eye

I spied

a thigh

a roly-poly

baby thigh

calling to me

"Come squeeze."

I obliged

sighed

and said

"Oh how I’ve missed these little legs."

Winter steals

baby thighs

and hides

them under piles

of clothes

Summer is coming again

And bringing back

My baby’s skin

That Ryan is mucho talented

Notice how there isn't anyone behind Adam?

Here's how you see the pictures from the race...

Go to Ryan's website:

www.ryanpricephoto.com

Click on "enter site."

Up in the top left corner, click on the word, "proofing."

Down at the bottom, you need to enter this password:

compassion

These are so great. Once we quit being sore, we'll still have the pictures to prove we actually did this! I might start to think it was a dream...I mean, Kirby pushed two heavy children in a double jogging stroller for 6.2 miles and my husband wore Puma's.

Maybe it WAS a dream.

We Did It!

Hopefully Ryan has some great pics
of the race we can look through.
When he has them ready, I'll let you know!

____________________________________________________

I haven't posted since the race.

Did you think I died?

I could blame my blog ignoring on being so sore, I was walking around like a 90 year old lady...but that's not why I didn't write yesterday.

The pool opened.

Need I say more?

Saturday was eventful.

Rain, lightning...

the race was postponed.

Some of us met back up at the park at 1 to run in the most humid weather imaginable.

Even though the weather was yuck, the ground was wet, there was a gigantic hill, my ipod was stupid and I couldn't find any of the songs I wanted...we did it.

I think a lot of the ladies were a little disappointed.

They were looking forward to adrenaline kicking in and being able to run even further than they thought they could.

Adrenaline seemed to be no match for the humidity, running in the afternoon and the hill.

It was easy to get discouraged, but we reminded ourselves that just a short 8 weeks ago, these women thought running one mile was the funniest thing they had ever heard in their life.

They couldn't run more than a minute or two 8 weeks ago...

And yet there they were, with a number pinned to their shirts, running a 3.2 mile course.

Some had to walk.

Some wanted to crawl.

But we all saw the impossible become a lot more possible.

These women ran.

They ran further than they ever thought they could just WEEKS ago.

As I stood there waiting to take off (that makes it sound like I was running like Speedy Gonzales...nope...maybe I should say, as I stood there waiting to start moving) I was kind of struck with this weird thought...

"I, Heather Hendrick am running in a race. There is a number pinned to my shirt."

How weird is that?

The only thing that would be more weird than this, is if I was standing here with a helmet on my head about to be in a motorcycle race.

I was about to run 6.2 miles without stopping.

Insane.

I looked at the ladies waiting to start the race, and thought to myself that this right here...before we ever start is something to celebrate.

I don't think most of us would have ever imagined we would be running in a race.

That's just not who we are.

It's not who we were.

Just for the Lord to get us to a pavilion in running clothes, and a number on our shirts was miraculous.

I thought to myself...."I don't care what happens during this race, what has already happened is a miracle."

The ladies did such a beautiful job.

They finished strong.

They all look so cute in their t-shirts.

Their lives and their stories inspire me so much.

There were times when NOTHING else besides knowing that those women were running around that course, hurting, pushing themselves kept me going. I can't even describe what it felt like to know that they were in this with me.

What an honor it was to go through this intense time of training, of growing in my faith, of seeing God do something impossible with YOU.

So when is our next race, ladies?

Postponed

The race has been postponed until 1:00 today.

Let's face it.

Running is hard.

One thing that would make running even harder would be getting struck by lightning.

Rain or Shine

Jenn says the race is ON no matter what weather we wake up to in the morning.

Could something as silly as weather put a damper on what we're celebrating tomorrow?

NO way.

I don't care if it is raining. It's not raining on our parade.

Besides...we know the maker of the rain, and if He says run in the rain...we'll run in the rain...and maybe, just maybe, we can trust that He has our best in mind.

Maybe running in the rain will bring God more glory.

Maybe we'll learn something He's trying to teach us.

Let's trust Him!

I keep thinking...God knows about this race. I KNOW He called us to it. I KNOW He has taught us great things...I KNOW these kids in Ethiopia need this money...so if it rains, I KNOW it was part of the plan all along.

How hard core are we?

I just keep laughing...

If you would have told me a year ago, I was going to become a hard core, run 6.2 miles in the rain kind of girl, I would have thought the chances of becoming THAT person were as likely as me becoming Denzel Washington.

So I guess I should say...

I can't wait to cross that finish line with so many of you tomorrow...even if we all look like a bunch of drowned rats.

Not running tomorrow?

Will you come cheer on the runners who are?

Please come rejoice with those who will be rejoicing tomorrow!

Come celebrate what God has taught your sisters in Christ AND come celebrate over the little souls in Ethiopia whose lives will be forever touched because of what will happen tomorrow morning.

God is SO worthy...and these precious kids are SO worth it.

Possible

Remember me?

The non-runner?

The girl who couldn't run more than a couple minutes without wanting to die?

Well...

I ran 6.2 miles last Sunday night.

6.2 miles.

6.2 MILES!

I RAN for one hour and one minute.

It was Easter.

I felt alive.

I felt powerful.

I ran 6.2 miles and Hudson said "mama" for the first time, looking at me, through the back door.

I'll never forget this Easter.

Tomorrow morning, I'll get to celebrate all that God has done, all that He has taught me with a group of women who God has also taught so much and brought so far.

We've learned together what it means to step out in faith.

We've learned together what it means to allow God to grow the fruits of self-control and discipline.

We've felt the sting of pressing on, through the pain.

We've learned to endure, to fix our eyes on the prize.

We've been discouraged.

We've tasted victory.

We've learned the value of one another.

What a journey this race has been and will continue to be.

When we started training, we had only a couple goals...

To learn better what God is talking about in scripture when He uses words like training, press on, endurance, patience, suffering and self-control.

And

To see God do what we thought was once impossible.

I ran 6.2 miles. Who am I? I never in a hundred years saw that coming.

A year ago, if you had approached me and said, "One day, very soon, you will run 6.2 miles," I would have said, "You're so dumb. I don't even own tennis shoes." Then I would have shouted, to everyone standing around, "Someone commit this person. They are insane."

I've seen the impossible become possible.

A few weeks ago, if you had approached most of these women running this race tomorrow and said, "One day, very soon, you will run a 5K," they would have said, "You're so dumb. I HATE running. I will NEVER run. I can't run. I can't."

They have seen the impossible become possible.

Not all the women will be able to run the entire distance.

That's NEVER what this has been about.

But each woman, who has been in training will run further than they EVER thought they could.

Miraculous.

A testimony to God's faithfulness. There IS a reward waiting for every runner.

I have saved one song on my Ipod that will play as I cross the finish line tomorrow...

A Grateful People, by Watermark.

God has done GREAT things.

And my prayer tomorrow, as I watch the power of God displayed in these beautiful women crossing that finish line is this....

God show us what OTHER impossible things you want to make possible in our lives.

I love you ladies!

You're runners!

You are runners!

I'm so thankful to be running this race with YOU...the race we're running tomorrow...and the one we'll be running until the black, dull, hard asphalt turns to beautiful, shimmering gold.

Reward

Originally posted April 18, 2008


It's no coincidence that I started running during this adoption process.

Remember me...

The non-runner?

Before this year, my motto was..."Don't run unless you are being chased by someone holding a knife." After watching Super Size Me, I decided, the only other thing that could possibly make me run was if someone was chasing me with a McDonald's french fry. Those may be as dangerous as knives.

But...I started running.

It was incredibly hard at first, since...I swear to you...I have never been athletic before...I can't stress that enough.

My lungs were undeveloped and probably tiny.

They were used to hanging out...in chill fashion...inside my body.

They were lazy little lungs.

That's why...the first time I ran...my entire body FREAKED out, started a rebellion inside my body...the insides of me were bound and determine to stop the outsides of me. I saw my life flashing before my sweaty eyes...I even considered my undergarments. When females are about to die...that's what they do...think of their undergarments. When the undergarments ran through my mind, I knew...I may drop dead at any second.

I didn't die.

That surprised me.

Later that week, long after the running, my body repeatedly and forcefully reminded me that running is NOT what we were going to do.

With every sore muscle and ache, my body was saying..."Remember...no running...the knife?...the french fry?...remember? We're not running. We like it here on the couch. If you try that again, we WILL make you poo yourself...in public."

But I told them to kiss it and kept on running.

However, a couple weeks ago...

I was feeling discouraged.

I've sort of hit a certain mark and can't seem to move forward.

I can run my normal length of time, which I've been running for a long time, it feels like...and...once I get to that point...I still want to quit...it's all I can do. I have no desire to run any longer or any further.

That was upsetting me.

People kept saying, "Be patient, Heather. You've never run before. It's going to take time and work."

I felt like I HAD given it a lot of time and a lot of work.

I wanted to go from living a lifetime of nonrunning to an Energizer Bunny runner in six months. I should know better, because most things in life are a process...but seriously...I was sad.

I felt like I've been so committed to this, but I still wasn't where I thought I should be...constantly improving, able to run longer and faster.

Kirby was one of those people who kept encouraging me to be patient. She is big pregnant and runs longer and faster than I do. I would look at her and think, "I'm having a hard time not hating you right now, but I still want you to give me all the clothes you don't wear anymore."

To make matters worse...Aaron's boyfriend, Mike Garratt (seriously...watch them...they are as silly as fifth grade friends)...nonchalantly said to me something like this..."I haven't run in like 8 years...but the other day...I decided to run...and I ran 3 miles in thirty minutes."

I almost burst out crying.

I'm working so hard...and Mike just up and decided to run three miles and he could? In thirty minutes? Seriously...tears...they were in my eyes.

BUT...

Here's the kicker...I swear this is going somewhere...

Right after my break down about not getting better at running...I went and tried on my swim suit. I've had it for a long time. Around here, to get one that's not hooch, you have to buy your swim suit while it's still freezing cold outside.

This is so, buying a swimsuit will FOR SURE be the worst experience of your life. For some reason, stores are bent on making us hate ourselves trying to buy a swim suit. I stood, in a dressing room, surrounded by mirrors, so I wouldn't miss any of my cellulite...we wouldn't want that...there I was, WHITE AS A GHOST, freezing to death, but unfortunately NOT freezing my butt off...believe me, I would have given ANYTHING to right then, freeze my ugly butt off.

Instead, I was looking at my butt from several, torturous angles...trying on a bathing suit in February. I left the dressing room and wanted to start jogging around the store, and then run straight to a tanning bed. I did neither. I'm sure I just got a Starbucks.

So...the other day...I went and put that same swimsuit on...and seriously...people.

My pre-baby legs...they are back!

I thought they were long gone...that I had lost them...that I would never see them again.

I was so encouraged...no...I'm not ready for a 5K...no...I'm not running faster or longer.

The only thing I've got going for me is consistency. I've stuck with it.

It's not easier.

I'm not better in the ways I am wanting to be better.

But the results...

Undeniable.

I promise this isn't a post to brag about my old, new legs.

I'm writing this because I needed to learn that lesson while running this race called adoption.

We found out last Thursday that our placement has failed.

That's a fancy way of sayin'..."That baby girl we thought we were getting...she ain't coming here."

It's been a rough week.

If I didn't have something as silly as my new legs right now to remind me that a reward awaits everyone who keeps on running...I would be throwing in the towel right now.

I would quit. Naturally, I'm a quitter to the core.

Because this adoption stuff...it's NOT getting easier.

I'm NOT getting the results I want.

I wanted a baby.

Right now.

Last month.

Six months ago.

And yet...the results of running this race are just as real as my tangible legs.

The results are NOT the ones I was wanting.

I started this race with one goal in mind...a child.

And yet, along the way, the results I've seen have more to do with prayer...and dependence upon Aaron in ways I've never known before...and learning how important the body is...how their faith is strong, when mine is laughable...how they pray when I can't pray because it hurts too bad...those are all rewards I wasn't expecting...they weren't the reason why I was running.

Right now...adoption still isn't easier.

I'm still not better at waiting.

I'm still not better at trusting God.

I'm still not better at having faith.

Just like I'm still not better at running faster...at running longer.

But just like my lovely new legs...there is a reward waiting at the end of this race.

A baby.

Right now...I'm hurting.

I'm sick of running.

I'm bent over, trying to catch my breath.

My insides ache.

I can barely stand it.

My legs are weak and shaky.

I'm drenched in sweat.

And yet...

I have to go a few more laps.

The finish line just disappeared, when it was in sight, a week ago.

I thought I was running towards a baby girl.

I could see her.

But she wasn't our baby.

Our baby is still far away...further down this road.

It seems impossible to keep on going.

But, while physically running, I've seen myself do what I once thought was impossible.

So I'll push through this heaviness...encouraged by nothing more than the prayers of God's people.

Because all I have to do is look down...

At these legs...they have never been stronger...

And think of my marriage, and how we've never been stronger.

We can do this.

Bring it on.

This race has an ending...a reward is waiting for us...

And when I hold that child...I will know...

The pain, weariness...the excruciating exhaustion...

It will all have been worth it.

I have not run this race in vain.

_____________________________________________________________

Re-reading this post makes me cry.

Because I'm raising that reward.

Hudson is a sweet reminder that for every runner...a reward is waiting.

I'm a runner.

I've held the reward of a baby.

I've beheld the changes in my body.

and

I've beheld the power of God to change me, free me and remove layers upon layers of sin...some my own, and some passed down to me.

We're runners...and one day, when we rest in God's presence, we'll know...

We are not running this race in vain.

My Bible, my baby, my legs, my soul...they tell me so.

What do YOU do Wednesday

New to "What do you do Wednesday?"

Here's how it started.

So far we've covered Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.

I remember "wanting" to be free from the yuck.

I knew being a witch to Aaron and an impatient mommy was wrong...that I had to stop...and that most importantly, God had declared me free from that garbage.

The problem...

I didn't know that change wasn't going to come until I actively did some things.

Sitting there wanting to be different wasn't cutting it.

Nothing was changing.

I was still going to bed every single night asking God to forgive me for the trash that had come out of my mouth all day long.

It was like I was sitting on the couch, eating Doritos, WANTING to be a runner...but not willing to throw the Doritos away and get up off the sofa.

Let me be clear...

I'm not saying that we have to work our way into favor with God.

He loves us...just because. If we belong to Him, it's because He chose us, from the beginning of time to belong to Him. He chose us to save us and change us.

BUT...

There's no denying that scripture uses hard verbs...things WE do to throw away our junk and put on the beautiful things God has in store for us.

Although I wanted to change...I wanted to be free, there was absolutely NO action on my part to participate with God in changing me.

I needed a plan.

During times of intense training in my life to get rid of sin, I've found these things from scripture so helpful...

One...memorizing verses filled with truth about who God wanted me to become.

Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

When I was struggling with my mouth every moment of every day, I memorized so many of these verses, wrote them on note cards and stuck them all over our house.

Two....confessing my sin to other people was a huge part of God changing me. I needed them praying for me and holding me accountable...checking up on me.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Three...I had to make sure that my number one priority every day was fellowship with God. How could I be free from this junk apart from abiding in Christ?

John 15:5
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

There was no way! "Apart from me, you can do nothing." God straight up says that. I needed to rearrange my life and my schedule to make meeting with God an important part of my day.

Training requires some prep work.

It requires a plan.

It requires living purposefully.

It requires action.

The same was true for me when I started running.

I had to reorganize my life.

"How am I going to be a good steward of my body and exercise with ALL that I have going on?"

It seemed impossible.

That was my number one excuse....time.

But TIME was EXACTLY why I chose running.

Before I started running, I would head to the gym several times a week. The class at the gym was an hour long. If I added up the time it took me to get ready, all the kids ready to go, driving to the gym, getting the kids checked in at the play facility, my time in the class I was attending, picking the kids back up and driving home...taking care of my body was taking about 2 hours out of my day several times a week.

I didn't have that kind of time.

If I ran, I could exercise for 30-40 minutes, come home SOAKING wet with sweat...a GREAT work out for a fraction of the time. Not to mention...I had been going to the gym forever, with very little results physically. Running is hard, but it works. My body began to change quickly.

As far as a running plan goes...

I didn't have a plan. I wish I would have.

Most of the women training for the race on Saturday have used the Couch to 5K running plan to train. I didn't know about that plan when I started running. If you have never run before, then get excited...most of the women using this plan never had run before either and in 8 short weeks, have gone from barely being able to run a couple minutes to running 25-30 minutes. Crazy!

You could stretch out the running plan if you need to, but I think it's been effective at getting these ladies moving, giving them goals, and letting them see results!

___________________________________________________________________

So here's the What do YOU do Wednesday topic...

For those of you who recently started running, I've got some questions for you.

Hopefully your ideas, your struggles, your stories will inspire other women reading to start physically taking care of their bodies.

What did YOU have to do in order to make exercise a consistent part of your life?

When do you run? Do you have your kids? Do you run/exercise when your husband has your kids?

What did YOU have to buy, or invest in when you started running/exercising consistently?

What had to change in your heart to get your rear end up and going?

What results have you seen?

I'm so proud of what the Lord has done through each runner training for this race.

Big things, physically and spiritually have taken place. I can't wait to celebrate all that God has done this Saturday!

Training

Me?

Training?

That sounds so athletic which means, it sounds so unlike anything I would ever do.

I didn't even own a pair of tennis shoes.

When I did buy them, I kept looking down at my feet, where my cute flip flops or sandals used to live and I would shudder.

"I look like a girl-boy. Yuck."

When I began running, I admitted to all the ladies who were also running, that before I started training, I would have described myself as a quitter.

Either, I would quit when things got too hard OR, because I'm so unwilling to suffer, or do things that are difficult, I would quit before I ever began.

Quitting starts the moment I feel a little challenged.

Ever so gently, the Lord started pointing out to me this tendency I have to throw in the towel.

Not because God wants me to be in the Olympics...but because training...striving...reaching for something that seems unattainable is what God is calling me to do in so many other areas of my life.

Simply put, I can't be someone who walks by faith, who suffers for the sake of the gospel, who is becoming more and more like Jesus if I'm fine with being a sissy quitter.

I know that some people think that religion is a crutch.

That makes me laugh.

I have found, at every turn in this road, that becoming more like Christ is not for wienies.

Training makes me tired.

It irritates me.

It's rough.

It can be hard.

It can seem overwhelming at times.

It can seem impossible.

It's a lot like starting to run when you've never run before.

Just deciding to start training myself to run was monumental.

It wasn't an easy breezy decision.

I was so out of shape, I could not run more than a minute or two.

From where I started, I honestly did not have ANY faith that I could become a runner.

Oh I had heard that people had started to run who had never run before and eventually went on to run miles and miles.

I was fine with other people being able to do that, but I always made up excuses, in my mind...

They were probably already athletic.

They probably were runners at one point, and then got back into it.

No one is as out of shape as I am, they just say they are.

There were a million reasons why I couldn't do it.

Funny, how they were the same millions of reasons I never dreamed I could be trained in other areas of my life as well.

Excuses. A million reasons why I would never shake this sin.

For training to be such a big deal to the Lord, it wasn't a big deal to me...and for the first time in my life that bothered me.

1 Corinthians 9:25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

This verse says that the goals we reach as athletes won't last...BUT it implies that as believers we ARE supposed to be in training.

We're supposed to make connections between physically training for something and spiritually training ourselves.

I wasn't in training...physically or spiritually.

I could not connect those things. Those dots were too far a part.

My butt and my soul were kickin' it cozy style on the couch.

And strict?

That word made me throw a fit inside.

Strict?

I'm the child who hardly ever went to school growing up. I rebelled against anything structured or strict.

I thought I was the exception to every rule.

I'm creative and an "outside the box" sort of girl.

Well good for me.

I was also undisciplined, rebellious, lazy and selfish.

The word strict made me want to roar...really...roar.

And yet God must think I can be who He has created me to be...and still be in strict training to become more like Him.

1 Timothy 4:7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

Let go of myths, and things my culture says and instead...TRAIN myself to think like God thinks?

That sounds like a lot of work. I thought I could just sort of coast through as a Christian.

Becoming like Christ is going to take TRAINING? What?

You mean, I wasn't automatically going to morph into Jesus, just by wanting to?

Is training different than wanting?

Um...once you train for something, you know the answer to that question.

I wanted to be a runner, but the first time I ran 2 minutes, I almost threw up.

I wanted to quit being a jerk, but "wanting" wasn't cutting it.

All along, I wanted to learn what these images in scripture meant...to train...to press on...to strive...to reach for a goal...to taste victory...to endure...

God uses these words...these hard words and links them to this Christian journey to know Christ better and become more like Him.

Words like training...strict training...are linked with our sanctification (that process where we continually throw off our sinful junk and put on the character and nature of God).

What I've learned from getting my soul off the bench...

That training is hard.

It's something you do consistently.

You start off weak and doubtful.

You gradually improve.

Pushing myself hurts.

Very few goals are reached easily.

I've also learned that most races don't have one person in them. That race wouldn't be worth watching.

Plain and simple...I couldn't have improved as a runner physically without the help and encouragement of several precious women in my life...other runners.

Some of those runners are further down the road than I am, yelling for me to hurry up...keep going...catch up...quit whining and RUN!

Some of them are behind me, and it's me whose yelling...come on! You can do this...push through the pain...push through...it feels so good.

I would have quit training if it weren't for other people running with me.

I'm in training.

I'm training to run...but more importantly, I'm training to become more like Christ.

Those times when I blow it...when I do something I know is ugly and yuck...God so sweetly reminds me that training is a process. It takes time. It takes commitment. It takes focus. It takes patience. It takes accountability. It takes humility. It takes other people who roll their eyes at my excuses and cheer me on towards the goal.

I don't think I could have learned these things...these life-altering lessons...before I put on my running shoes and began training.

Strict training.

Those words are beautiful to me now.

I've tasted the fruit they produce...and it's sweet...ever so sweet.

It leaves me yearning for more...

How far can I run next time, Lord?

How much more like YOU can you make ME?

Not the Same

Still haven't registered for the race this weekend??

Hurry! Go! Today! Now! Do not pass go! Just Go register!

Jenn is a mess, trying to get this all organized, and it would help her TREMENDOUSLY for you to register today if you're participating on Saturday.

Everyone who registers early gets a t-shirt that looks like this...way to go Charlie! This will be my new favorite T. If you don't register early, you might not get a t-shirt. Gasp! How sad would that be?


About 8 weeks ago, I begged people

shamelessly begged people

to start running with me, training for a 5k so we could raise money for kids who desperately need our help.

Here's what I wrote...February 24:

Jenn is partnering with ASC, a Christian organization on campus, to host a 5K/10K run on April 18. The money raised will go to Compassion's Child Survival Program. Please go read about this organization. You will be touched and inspired.

Jenn's parents do the most beautiful thing for their kids during Christmas. They give each of the Seay siblings $50 and ask them to use that money to MAKE money for Compassion.

How incredible is that? I know Jenn will write more about the race, about why she's doing it, so stay tuned.

Our family will be running this race in April. Details will be coming soon. We are excited to be a part of raising money for Compassion. What a privilege to join in with what they are doing to bring love, medicine, education, the gospel, and justice to these children in need.

You can either run a 5K or a 10K so this will be a great race for beginners and for running pros.

And guess what...

I really want you to run with us.

Yep. I do.

So many of you have said, "Heather...I want to run. I never have, but I want to run. If you can start out as a non-runner and learn to run, I know I can too...I'm just afraid, and still doubt I can do this."

Well girl...here's your chance to do something amazing you never thought was possible.

Is your heart pounding?

I've said it many times...

Before we adopted our baby boy, there was a lot of scripture that just didn't mean as much to me as it does now.

Pre-Hudson, I could read verses about God choosing us, about adoption, about being bought and brought into the family of God, and appreciate them...but now, when I read those words, they sit heavy in my soul and the richness of them resounds in my heart in a way they just didn't and maybe couldn't before holding my smallest son in my arms.

Before becoming a runner, the same was true.

I could read the words in the Bible that talk about us running...about this race...about perseverance, about endurance and vaguely understand them.

I had seen people run.

I knew what a race was.

I have watched sporting events...okay fine...I've attended sporting events...I think it would be a stretch to say I really watched them.

I was never athletic myself. Never. Not even a tiny bit. I could not relate, on a personal level, to any of the ideas in scripture about training, about striving, about goals, and running.

Not at all.

As many of you know, that all changed for me a couple years ago.

I decided I would run.

And that decision, although I thought it was my own, turned out to be so much more than a decision to get in shape and take care of my body.

I believe that the Lord led me to running, something so bizarre for me and un-me, during our adoption so He could teach me about patience, about suffering, about waiting, about discipline, endurance and most importantly...about the reward.

Now, when I read verses in the Bible about running, about training, about this race, about our journey, about endurance those words mean something more to me.

I used to only roll those words around in my mind. As a runner, when I read those words in the Bible I feel them in my soul, but also in my legs, in my chest...their meaning is more full and hands on for me now.

I understand better that sanctification is a process...it's a journey, and it's hard, painful and intense, but always rewarding.

There's nothing like a runner's high.

There's nothing like that feeling I get when I've run farther than I've ever run before.

There's nothing like that feeling I get when I think of how far I've come as a runner.

I used to not be able to run from my front door to the stop sign on my street, and we lived on the corner.

The pain does not compare to the reward and the joy.

So here's what this post is really about...

I haven't run consistently since school began.

I just couldn't.

But now, my life and my baby are to the point where I can again.

I started yesterday.

When I quit running, I had gone from being a non-runner...as in could not run hardly at all, (no more than one or two minutes at a time when I started) to being someone who ran 2-3 miles twice a week and 3-4 miles once a week.

That's incredible.

Yesterday, I went back to being someone who can only run 5-7 minutes at a time.

It would have been easy to get discouraged...but I know better. I can do this. I will improve. I will reach those goals that used to be easy for me.

It's going to take work and determination, but I've already seen myself do what I once thought was an impossibility. It will come again.

I want that for you.

I want us to run and train together (that doesn't mean we have to run at the same time and same place, but we can be training together, checking on each other and encouraging one another).

I want you to do something you never thought could be possible.

And could we be doing this for a better cause?

We can run, let the Lord teach us about endurance, self-discipline, about faith, training, the goal, results and the reward WHILE helping children in need.

We Hendricks have started training.

Even the boys are setting goals and learning about what it means to strive...to push on, to reach for the prize. There will be a fun run for the kids that day, so really...it's a family affair! Everyone can do this, even if you have to walk and take your time!

Right now, Anson and Hayden both want to at least RUN one of the miles, and then walk the rest.

What a great thing to do together as a family. What wonderful lessons our kids can learn about these images from scripture, but also about doing what we're doing to love children who desperately need our help.

Will you run with us? If you can't run, you can walk...but if you know you need to run, that there are lessons here God is wanting to lovingly teach you then quit making excuses and let's do this.

If so, I'm going to post a running schedule online for those of you who are ready to step out, in faith, who have never run before. We have about two months to train, and even if you can't run the entire race in April without stopping, I know, without a doubt, you will be able to run farther than you ever imagined possible by that time.

I want to encourage you!

I want to cheer you on.

Let's run this race together.

That day we can celebrate together all that God has done in our souls getting us ready to run, and we can celebrate all that He's going to do with the money we raise to help these precious children.

Who's in?

________________________________________________________________

8 weeks ago, women sat in front of their computers reading the running posts on this blog.

Some got a little irritated.

Some thought I was obviously talking to someone else...not them.

Some thought, "I've ALWAYS wanted to be a runner, but could I really do this...me?"

Some thought, "I HATE running. There is no way I'm doing this. If I knew how to delete her blog off my google reader, I would so do it."

Even though they were very scared, highly skeptical, even a little angry...a lot of those women signed up and started training.

Some had never run before in their life.

8 weeks ago, these ladies jumped in, started running simply because they wanted to learn what it means in scripture to "run this race."

They wanted to feel the weight and richness of all the imagery in the Bible about running...training...discipline...endurance.

8 weeks ago, most of these women could not run more than 1 or 2 minutes at a time.

8 weeks later, those same women are running 25-30 minutes straight...without stopping.

They are runners.

Runners!

This Saturday, we will celebrate all that God has done as we all run together, raising money for these sweet kids.

For the women who have been training...

"This" has been about FAR more than just running.

For the women who have been training...

We are not the same runners we were 8 weeks ago.

We're not the same runners physically...and we're not the same runners spiritually.

Get ready...

This week's posts will ALL be about running.

I'm hoping the ladies who have been training will share with you what God has done in their hearts and in their bodies.

I think I can speak for all of us...

We signed up to run, and had no idea what all God had in store for us.

I had no idea that God needed me to be running in order to teach me the things He's taught me over the past 8 weeks.

This race has affected all ages...we've got college women running. We've got moms running behind double jogging strollers. We've got some women running who have little kids, and some running with kids in high school. We've got some women running who are grandmas! What most of us had in common before we started running...we had never run before! We never thought we could.

We entered the race nervous, weak and doubtful

And yet...

On Saturday, we're going to run that race with victory in our hearts and in our minds.

I hope their stories inspire you.

Maybe you're sitting there thinking, "Ugh. Running. That's only for SOME people. I could never do it."

That's what we thought...

That's what we thought.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Maybe we can be that "cloud of witness" in your life. I hope the stories these ladies have about what God has done inside their souls will lift your head and strengthen your faith. I hope we "surround you" this week and encourage you to run...as in physically run...and strengthen you as you run this race...the one we'll be running until Jesus calls us home.

Emptying Camera

Make a Smilebox slideshow

While the food is cooking, babies are sleeping and the house is quiet, I'm cleaning off my camera.

I want my memory card to look nice and empty like the tomb.

There are so many slide shows in this post, it's ridiculous...but YES...we really did all these things over the past four days (except the Spring Break pics...those are just late.)

Above are the pictures from right before bedtime on Good Friday. They are so blurry. Sorry!

The Apels came over for Family Worship. Asher and the Hendrick boys made playdough mountains. They loved doing this. We used the mountain to tell the crucifixion story.

You can tell we have boys.

They were very sure to add lots of blood. They wanted blood on the cross. They wanted blood on the paper towels they wrapped Jesus' body with. They wanted blood in the tomb.

All that blood has been great to talk about for the past few days.

The next morning, the boys painted their mountain. I'll post pictures of the final product with the pictures we take as we celebrate Easter this evening.

______________________________________________________________

Next...

Circus Pictures!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We had a blast. Tons of friends joined us.

Come to find out, this was the "cruddiest" circus that Ringling Brothers hosts. This was sort of their "C" Team circus.

It wasn't bad.

It was small.

And there were lots of mistakes.

But I decided, after gasping...and feeling a little sick to my stomach when the performers fell or almost fell that I like the circus BEST when someone MIGHT die.

I know.

That's sick.

But it's true.

Still hands down...this was my favorite circus...

I mean soupus.

_______________________________________________________________

Below are the pictures from the last night of our Spring Break week of fun.

The last night of Spring Break, we always get a little crazy and break out the beer goggles.

Beer Goggles are these weird things you can wear that show you what your vision would be like if you were toasted.

How do we have these?

Aaron stole them from Allen Duty and refuses to give them back.

Why does Allen have these?

He was a youth pastor.

Do I need to say more?

When Aaron was a youth pastor, we had a closet FILLED with an ARSENAL of water guns.

We broke out the beer goggles and made people wear them while they were playing volleyball.

Then there was the beer goggle race.

Nothing like watching fake drunk people race each other and try to make a basket with a basketball.

Whew...funny.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

When the boys first got home from the farm, I was thinking to myself...

"Remember to tell Jimmy Burton THANK YOU for taking pictures."

And then I saw the pictures.

Normally, I love pictures.

I drive my family and everyone else crazy taking pictures.

But, I think I could have been FINE without seeing pictures from the past Dangerous Boy Event.

Moms...I'm sorry you know us.

When Aaron was on the way home he said, "Heather, Wade Amy told Tyler that the way you catch more fish is to warm your worm up in your mouth before putting it on your hook."

"That's gross," I said.

Wade is so goofy.

But then I was like...wait.

Why is Aaron telling me this?

And then he continued.

"So Tyler did it."

What?

"Yep. Tyler did it. He put a worm in his mouth. And Heather...it probably would have ended there, but unfortunately, Tyler caught a fish."

And...

"And so all the boys started putting worms in their mouths."

Oh my gosh.

Wade didn't make it to Navasota before his phone started ringing.

When the camera got home, it was even more disgusting than I had imagined.

AND

I saw my small son with a knife in his hand.

"Why does he have a knife in his hand? Are you standing near him?"

Aaron just ignored me.

I guess this is why they don't let moms come with them.

I guess this is why boys need men in their lives.

I would never let them eat worms, or hold a sharp knife without me sitting on their shoulders or something.

Now it's your turn to shudder...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I'll post the jelly making pictures next week with a post telling ya how we did it.

I want to can everything now.

And I'll leave you with some family photos.

What handsome boys we have.

Hope your Easter is sweet.

That EMPTY tomb has brought us such a FULL, rich, satisfying life!

Good Friday

In between the bowls of strawberries

chasing babies around the kitchen

laughing with friends

smelling fresh fruit

trying hard not to cook my hands

I kept on thinking...

How thankful I am for this life.

It's loud

full

busy

even a little chaotic at times

but I'm thankful.

Grateful really

for all my friends in the kitchen

laughing

talking

helping

loving each other.

Had it not been for another Good Friday long ago, I wouldn't have these friends

this family

these people

in my life

because had it not been for that Friday

I would be mean

unloving

unlovable

un-in love with the church.

In between the bowls of strawberries

and the pulse, pulse, pulsing of the food processor

and the sugar

mounds of sugar

piles

really

piles of sugar

I kept on thinking...

About my boys

My husband boy

and my little boys

on the farm with my brother boy

all the boys that I love.

It's odd how one moment your hands can be lifting lava jars of liquid from boiling hot water

and then the next moment your mind can fly off

across towns and pastures

and look into the faces of the people who mean the most to you.

One minute you're smashing strawberries.

The next minute your heart can feel so much love

that you think it might pop

like a newly sealed lid on a jar of hot strawberry jelly.

Thankful.

Grateful really

for my family

my home

my Aaron

my four sons

my brother.

Had it not been for another Good Friday long ago, I wouldn't have these boys to love

this family

these people

in my life

because had it not been for that Friday

I wouldn't be busily making red shiny jelly

imagining my sons with smiles on their faces

and sticky crimson fingers.

I'd be busy being foolish

destroying

my home

and everyone in it.

Had it not been for another Good Friday long ago,

and the pound, pound, pounding of the nails

I would be lost

left

to sit in my sin

my mounds of sin

piles

really

piles of sin

at odds with God

a slave

to myself.

I'd rather think of anything

than who I'd be apart from that Friday.

In between the bowls of strawberries

I kept on thinking

what a good Friday it is...

what a Good Friday it was.

Today I will be a Granny

I just sent a truck load of boys off to the farm to explore...to fish...to blow things up...to be with a bunch of men who love them and love God.

While all the men in our lives are off being a little bit dangerous, a little bit silly and a little bit serious, some sweet friends of mine are about to head over here to my house and we're going to learn how to "can."

You know...that stuff your grandma used to do...it's happening in my kitchen today, minus the granny.

We're going to make jelly and can it.

Who are we?

I've always wanted to learn to do this.

Since strawberries are on sale for a little over a dollar a container at HEB this week, this seemed like a great time to learn how to make jelly.

I've been trying to reduce the amount of corn syrup our family consumes.

One of the things I just can't do is pay a whopping $5-7 for a tiny jar of jelly. That's how much jelly with no corn syrup in it costs. I haven't been able to find it any cheaper.

If you pay that price, then more power to you...but really...there are a ton of people in this house, and we Hendricks, plus the non-Hendricks who are usually sitting around our table could eat an entire jar of that pricey stuff during ONE meal.

That's one of my rules about learning to eat healthier food.

The minute I feel myself being stingy, or rationing our food because it's too expensive due to it being "better for you" then I'm done. I try to figure out a new plan. I am bound and determine to eat healthier, have lots of food around this house and lots of people over here sharing it with us.

If this jelly turns out great today, this will DEFINITELY be the new plan!

I bought 18 cartons of strawberries yesterday and only paid $22. Awesome!

I already had the jars.

Pectin is cheap.

So is sugar. Kirby and I actually got the sugar for free from Kroger.

Lynsey's precious friend, Mandi schooled us in jelly making.

Today we're making jelly and I'm freezing a ton of strawberries for our smoothies. At $1.24 a carton, that's WAY cheaper than buying the ones that are already frozen from the store.

If this goes well today, I may even go back and buy some more. Maybe I won't have to buy strawberries until this time next year.

There is no other way to describe it.

I seriously feel like a granny.

Never in a million years did I think I would be "putting up" some strawberry jelly.

Never in a million years did I think I would be "putting up" some strawberries for smoothies.

Never in a million years did I think I'd know what a good deal was, or talk about price per pound.

Who am I? I really want to know.

If you want to learn to do this, I'll take lots of notes today and maybe even some pictures so we can share our granny ways with you.