yours - again

Some of you might recall this post where I inculded a video for a Steven Curtis Chapman song that I like alot (and warned Gail she would need Kleenex). It's such a great song and... well, wow.

In the days after SCC daughter Maria died, I kept hearing that song in my heart and wondered - along with so many others - how he could ever sing it again.

Well, not only has he sung it again, but he has added another verse:
(swiped this pic of his lyrics off his manager's blog)



He performed this new version three times last weekend and has already recorded the new version. It will be released for airplay on August 1. It's a song that already made my heart skip a beat and helped me - every time I heard it - offer everything back to him. Wow. Beauty from ashes, indeed.

We are headed into day three of VBS and it has already been a phenominal week! We have talked about orphans in Mexico and in West Africa. Today we will talk about how we are all orphans - depserately in need of a Father and how he longs to adopt each of us. I am sharing Amy's adoption story this morning and praying that it will have fruitful impact. It has been a blessing to share God's heart for the orphan with these little ones. They have such amazing little hearts and they truly "get it".

Anna is 100% back to "normal" and I am SOOOO glad! I missed her :)

All four kids are taking swim lessons this week from Amber in the afternoon. Amber LOVES my kids and we all love her, too. She asked for permission to make the little s cry on Monday. It was sweet. She is trying to get them to blow bubbles and hold their breath. She kept telling her mom (Amy) that she just couldn't do it! My Amy came home Monday and said that Amber made her cry! Too funny!

Swim lessons are coming at the perfect time, as we are heading out for a mini-vacation on Friday to Branson - where we will stay at a hotel with an indoor waterpark :) All four kids are really excited! Heck - I am too (but remember - I hate the water).

:)

Chris and I were laughing as we drifted off to sleep last night about how much we enjoyed our last vacation (Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas). I said "yes - and isn't it going to be even MORE fun with FIVE kdis?!" to which he replied "no vacations with five kids!" We did agree that a vacation MIGHT necessitate a passenger van for enough space... We'll see about that when the time comes....