God knows my name

i ran across this poem this morning, i wrote this a couple years ago while rich and i were on a road trip...i normally don't share my writings and poetry with anyone but rich, but i feel God wants me to share more of my heart, and to continue writing...

i was ten when i met you, you had always been there but i met you,
with tears and sadness,
you wiped them away,
with arms of love and a voice of truth, "Be still and know that i am," i inhaled, "God."
Your Spirit, the image of Your Son on the cross with my sadness piercing His hands and feet, kept me near to You.
I walked with You awhile, but slowly the intimacy faded as i pulled away,
i began to create an identity in the world, with a handful of Your truths,
trying to follow my own path of desires, which manifested confusion, deceit, anger, and that sadness i had already pierced Your hands with,
grieved Your Spirit so deep until i almost lost that sweet gentle voice that had once spoke,
"Be still and know that i am God," into my heart,
i cried out to You with all of me,
approaching Your throne humbly and confidently,
laying at your feet
The place i know i can always be at rest, at peace, and in love.
My hands are raised, my head is tilted towards You,my mind is free, my limbs unchained......
God knows my name.

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See how Windows connects the people, information, and fun that are part of

Nate and Melanie's visit

a couple weeks ago,rich's oldest brother (nate) and his wife (melanie) came to town to visit family and to go to Orcas Island to meet up with the other guys in his Doctorate program. We had sooo much fun with them while they were here!! They of course loved there nephew Samson and he adored both of them! We had lots of laughs had great food and good family time! Its so cool to see Rich and Nate together...they are 12 years apart and rich has always looked up to his big bro, but over the last few years they have gotten really close. As you can see in the pics they look so much alike and sound similar too! :) and the best part about it is that Melanie and i have gotten to be good friends too, i just love her!! they have two beautiful girls, our nieces are Syndi and mya. We wished they lived closer(they live in Fresno,Ca) and are praying after Nate gets his doctorate, he will find a job up here or at least Portland. It is going to be so fun for Samson to grow up with his cousins and his new favorite auntie M!!! We love you guys!!!

Praise!!!

This is Samson praising God this morning during our morning devotional...We were singing to Israel's newest cd the song "You make all things new, yes You make all things new and i will follow You forward." (we love that song) and i always raise Samson's hands as we worship and sing out "hallelujah" and today he just left his hand raised on his own!!! ah!! it made this mama so happy, so i had to take a picture!:) Samson loves our morning time with the Lord and he loves when mama reads him the Word, and smiles and talks and "amens" while i read and study out loud to him! this is our favorite time of the day and i so look forward to this time with Jesus and Samson:)

update.....

ok..so i am a horrible blogger!! it has been months since i have updated this and actually 3 1/2 months to be exact! A beautiful little man has been taking up most of my time:)
So now that Samson is on a kind of normal nap schedule i can sit down and write:)
Our lives have changed sooo much, those first few weeks were so hard, but oh so worth it. Samson has brought so much joy to our lives and to the rest of our family. As Rich always says, "he is a life-bringer, and brings life wherever he goes," that is so true. I cant go grocery shopping without someone (men and women) stopping me to say how beautiful or handsome he is, and if he is awake he normally responds with a smile:) He is such a happy baby, always smiling, laughing or cooing..he rarely cries but when he is hungry or over tired. He sleeps 10-12 hrs through the night and has 3-4hr nap during the day. When he is up he is eating:) He eats sooo much! At his last appointment a month ago he was already weighing 14lbs! at two months! He is in the 95th percentile for weight and 90th for height! we just skipped past the 3 month clothes and straight to 6-9 months:)
Samson looooves going to Grammie and Grandpas house, we spend a lot of time there, my mom and dad adore him and have been such a blessing to us! I've always appreciated my family, but now that i am a mom i appreciate them even more. Family is sooo important to us.
Rich is such an amazing father...he is always playing with Samson when he is home,he prays over him every night and morning, and he loves to rock him to sleep. Samson just loooves his dad! seeing them together brings tears to my eyes!! i was such a sap before i had samson and it has only intensified. I am so overwhelmingly in love with our little family and so thankful God has blessed us with our son.

(these beautiful photos that i posted were done by a friend of ours from church, Sarah Sweetman..she is amazing and so sweet!!! Her prices are great too! check her web site out @ www.sarahsweetmanphotography.com.)