Planned Parenthood Director Now Stands for Life!

Happy Birthday to my 21 year old daughter!!!!

Jessica came into our lives as a wonderful surprise - an unexpected blessing from God. We have never stopped thanking God for her and for revealing Himself through this amazing plan.
Jess you complete our family - we can't imagine life without you. I have loved watching you grow into a woman who loves God and is not afraid to be what God designed you to be.
I am so proud of you and proud to be your mom!
I love you more!!!
mom

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day to the most amazing father ever - my husband, Ed. After loving and serving God, his family has always been his priority. He has shown an unselfish love toward our children that pointed them to Christ. He is incredibly generous and nothing brings him greater joy than to be with his family. Thanks, Babe. You have been a great role model and will leave a legacy of faith through your children and grandchildren.

Happy Father's Day to my sons - Chris, Brian, Robbie and Rusty. What a blessing to have sons (I claim Rusty as a son) that love the Lord, their God, with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. This love for the Lord reveals itself in the way they love and parent their children. We love you guys and can't begin to put into words how proud we are of you all.

This is fun!!!!

Last week we spent 4 days with our whole family at Galveston Pointe West. There is nothing like it - 11 adults and 17 grandkids- hanging out at the beach and the pool - laughing and talking and loving being together.
I love this picture - Nana and Pop-Pop with the pride of joy of our lives - our 17 grandkids!
I will post more pics later. This picture was taken at Rain Forest Cafe which is the big finale of our vacation when Pop-Pop treats us all to great food, fun "volcanoes" and then the Adventure River ride.
We are blessed!

Happy Birthday to Brian and Jenn!

This is Brian - Child #2 born May 30, 1973. Brian was a sweet, easy baby who, at 7 weeks old, was diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis. The first night in Texas Children's Hospital an intern came into the room and quickly said "Your baby has spinal meningitis. He will either die, be mentally retarded or be deaf." He then left the room. From that moment on, prayer warriors all over the country began to pray for him and God absolutely healed him. As you can see he is absolutely perfect.
Brian faced another challenge when he was 3 years old and was attacked by a large dog. It was a horrifying experience and he has lived through this in an amazing way. He went on to set quite a record for the number of accidents and stitches that a child can have. I always told him that God had an amazing plan for him because his life had been a series of character building experiences and look who he is today.
Brian is an awesome husband and father. He works for Compassion International and serves as an advocate for children growing up in third world countries. I am incredibly proud of the man he has become. I love you, B!


This is Jenn - Child #3 born May 30, 1975. Jenn was our first girl and a really good baby. We were all excited to have a baby girl and I'm sure she was spoiled. Her brothers were and still are fairly protective of her. In elementary school Jenn had some real struggles and still speaks of her "school phobia" as if it were yesterday. We were all traumatized. Some really good teachers helped her to overcome and she eventually loved school.
In high school, Jenn was diagnosed with seizures and a Pituitary tumor. It was a time when we were on our faces 24/7 asking for God to heal her. Jenn is a fighter - one of the strongest people I know. She underwent brain surgery a couple of months after high school graduation and then 6 weeks later moved into the dorm at Baylor University. God has done amazing things in her life. Now she is an amazing wife and mother to 4 children and loves God with all of her heart. I am so proud of her and the godly woman she has become. I love you, Jenn!

We Remember Earl Martin Seay

We must never forget those who gave their lives so that we might live in freedom and experience a kind of liberty that many will never know.
Our family remembers our very own hero today. My husbands father, Earl Martin Seay, gave his life in the service of our country on July 24, 1950 when my husband was only 6 weeks old. He never knew his father but he knows that he served our country in World War 2 and then in the initial fighting of the Korean Conflict.
We remember him today and are thankful for his sacrifice and the sacrifice of so many others who believed in America and what it stands for.

Adoption is a Loving Option

Adoption is one way that we can answer the call to care for orphans. Adoption it part of the fabric of our family and has been my career for the past 20 years. I am in awe as I see God's hand touching lives and building families through adoption.
Some of my sweet friends recently adopted baby #3 - God simply moved into their lives and laid out this plan for them.
I am writing to ask that you be a part of the miracle of adoption by donating to the needs of this family as they strive to pay off their adoption fees. Click here to read more about their journey.
Thank you in advance for your help.

My Daughter - The Artist

So proud of my daughter, the artist. Jess is an art major at HBU and had 4 entries accepted in to the Art Show. Last night she won the award for Mixed Media. She is standing in front of the piece that earned the award.

Jess is incredibly creative and is showing amazing talent as she explores all kinds of art mediums.

We are so proud of her as she learns more about what God has for her.

I love you more!!!!!!!

Where is my trust?

I don't listen to the news. It is depressing and I find that if I allow it to settle in me - it leads me to fear.

Some say that I should be more informed - up on the latest information. Perhaps that is true. But, for now I am happy with my system.

So, even though I don't watch the news - there is evidence all around me of a rising fear of a depression. I have my moments that I begin to wonder and fear.

My March memory verse is "Some trust in chariots; some trust in horses, but I trust in the name of the Lord, my God." Psalm 20:7

Obviously we don't have horses or chariots, but we could fill in the blank... sometimes I trust in ________ and at other times I trust in __________. It is convicting for me to push myself to name the things that I trust.

As I study the names of God this verse becomes even more powerful - to trust in the name of the Lord is to trust in who He is... Elohim, our creator; El Elyon, our sovereign God; El Roi, the God who sees; El Shaddai, our all-sufficent God; Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides.

I could go on and on but today let's take time to trust in who God is and resist trusting in our chariots and horses.

A day in the park!

Today was an awesome day to be outside. Here are some pics from time spent with Yeneneh and Sosy and then with the whole family. It has been a great visit and we feel like we've known our two newest grandkids all their lives. They are sweet and funny and seem to be filled with joy. God has blessed them and prepared them for this time.

We finally meet!!!!

We are in Nashville this week and we have finally met our newest grandkids, Yeneneh and Sosy. They are absolutely precious. They are allowing us to hug them whenever we want. They are happy and fun and loving. God has had his hand of protection on their hearts and minds and has prepared them for this very place. There is nothing sweeter than to hear them call us "Nana and Pop-Pop".

Run for Compassion 5K/10K

Our family believes in the ministry of Compassion International. We all sponsor children and together we sponsor the Child Survival Project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Tragically, nearly 27,000 children under age 5 die every day, mainly from preventable diseases and related causes. Through the Child Survival Program (CSP), Compassion is battling for the lives of vulnerable children and their caregivers, providing:
prenatal care
ongoing health screening
infant survival training for mothers and caregivers
spiritual guidance and education

Every Christmas we give each of our children's families $50 and we ask them to find a way to increase that money to donate to the Child Survival Project. This is a great way to involve each member of the family.

Our daughter, Jennifer, has chosen to organize a 5K/10K/Children's Fun Run to raise money for this project. Read more about it here.

Will you join us as we work together to support children in poverty around the world?

An Open Letter to My Future Husband

Obviously, I already have a husband.
But I came across this article today and my heart ached for young women and young men to "get it" - to understand that sex outside of marriage only destroys their lives - it does nothing to make them better or stronger or prepared for their future.

It is sin. It separates from a vibrant, active relationship with our Holy God.
It offers disease, unplanned pregnancy, distrust, the continuous pain of comparison from partner to partner and discontentment (always looking for something better).
Satan has deceived this generation big time. His goal is to steal, kill and destroy and he does all of this through sexual impurity.

Read this article. Share it with your teenagers. Pass it on to others. Let's take a stand on behalf of our kids to help them understand that sex is a gift from God to husbands and wives.

Compassion Honduras

We are in Tegucigalpa, Honduras this week with Compassion International. We have visited the country office and have come to understand better the workings of Compassion and the heart of the people who work there.

We have met the little boy that we sponsor. His name is Fernando and he is 4 years old. We have learned that we are doing far more than sponsoring a child. We are welcoming him and his family - his single mom and his two older sisters - into our hearts. We are committing to pray for his mom as she struggles to support her family. We are praying for his 15 year old sister who has a great deal of responsibility in the home and with her siblings because her mom works long hours. We are praying that these children will continue to love Jesus and will hold on to the hope that is found in their relationship with HIM. We will always encourage and support this family to become all that they can be. We feel the honor of providing in some small way a bit of hope for this mom and her children. It is so much more than sending $32 per month and we are blessed to know them and to love them.

We have spent time with the children in a Compassion Project and have seen their eyes light up over the simplest of things. We have come to understand that many of them come to the Project hungry and they are anxious for the meal that they will receive there. We saw the results of a team of workers who love these children and want them to know the love of Jesus.

We spent the morning in the home of a Compassion sponsored child. We saw first-hand the depth of poverty - the smells of poverty - the hopelessness of poverty.
But, we saw the impact that Compassion and the local church have had on this family. The child in the home went to a box in the corner of his one-room house and pulled out his last letter from his sponsor family. His eyes shown with excitement and pride as he showed us the letter and the picture. We learned that his 55 year-old grandmother and his 96 year-old great-grandmother had recently given their hearts to Christ as a result of the ministry of Compassion and the ministry of the local church. What could be better!

They Are Home at Last!

They are finally home. They arrived in New York City last night and spent the night with Amy's sister. They took the kids to Times Square (what a way to see your first glimpse of America), ate lunch and then headed to the airport.
They have now officially arrived in Nashville tonight.
Now life begins.
Please pray for the kids transition to America - for their ability to learn English and that they would feel loved and a part of this loving family.
This is a God-thing and we know that He has preserved the lives of these two precious children for His purposes and for His glory. I can't wait to see what they will become!
Thank you all for your prayers!

They Become a Family

The day they first met.


The family after attending church in Ethiopia.


Crazy kids!!

Thank you for praying!

Wow - what a week it has been! Thank you so much for praying for Brian and Amy and their 6 kids.

It has been a week of answered prayers.

Brian and Amy and family arrived safely and their first visit with the kids was more than they could have hoped for.

They faced "paperwork" issues - missing paperwork - and God transported the document to the right place.

They were unsure of Consular appointments and today they had their first real appointment and it went well.

Now they settle in and wait for all things to fall into place and just have fun being a family.

I got to here their voices on Wednesday and it was so amazing to hear from them and know they are doing well and to hear the sweet voices of my newest grandkids whom I have not met yet saying "Hi, Nana, I love you!". Those are crying words.

You have all been amazing - following their journey and praying for the needs as they arose. Thank you!

Continue to pray for their time there - their safety - the never-ending stream of paperwork and appointments that will eventually lead them back home and for their hearts to seriously bond as a family.

Most importantly "Praise be to God!".

They are there!

Brian, Amy and their 4 kids arrived in Ethiopia last night ( 3 a.m. Ethiopia time) after more than 30 hours of travel. We are thankful for safe travel.
Please click here to read about their first visit with Yeneneh and Sosy. It is a beautiful post.
We are so excited and can't wait for them all to be back home.
Please continue to pray for their time there and for all the paperwork to be processed quickly and for appointments to happen at the right times.

We need your prayers!

This my Brian and Amy and their four children - Olivia, Phillip, Natalie and Nathaniel.
They leave in about 24 hours to go to Ethiopia - yes, the whole family is going!


This is Yeneneh and Sosy. They are Brian and Amy's children by adoption and they are in Ethiopia.


They will all meet on Sunday for the first time. They will become a family.
Please pray for them. The preparation to leave with 4 kids, massive amounts of paperwork and legal documents, clothes and necessities for 3 weeks and more... this is all overwhelming.
Pray for their ability to remember everything they will need and for a peace and calm in their home over these next 24 hours.
Pray for the process in Ethiopia. There are legal things that need to happen on a pretty tight timeline. If these things don't happen their trip will have to be extended and this will cost a lot of money.
Pray for their safety and for good health.
God began this process in their hearts 3 years ago and HE will bring it to completion this week. We praise HIM for all of this.
Thank you for praying!

Chris on CNN

My oldest son, Chris, was on CNN news on Christmas morning. I know I'm late in posting this but I had trouble getting a good link.
Even though Christmas is over, we can begin now to reclaim Christmas.
Click here to watch the interview.

Hide Them in Your Heart

Will you join me in this new year of hiding God's Word in our hearts?

Just to the right of this post you will find the current scripture to be memorized.

Only good can come from reading and memorizing scripture.

You can do it - Let's do it together!!!!

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

2009: The Year of __________

Fill in the blank.

It's January 2 and we have a clean slate - a blank page. We can make it what we choose to make it. It is a new beginning.

My blank looks like this.

2009: The Year of the Word.
I am resolving to read the Bible through this year. I am also committed to memorize scripture this year. I will have a new scripture on my blog every 2-3 weeks. Join me and let's help each other. Let me know if you will be a part of hiding God's Word in your hearts this year. We can do this together. You are never too old. My two oldest grandaughters will be joining me via email.

2009: The Year of balance.
My life is almost always crazy busy. I wear too many hats and have too many commitments. People say to me "how do you do all that you do?" and then I feel good about all that I do (in a crazy way). And then I don't have time to be in the Word the way I need to be - I don't have time to cook dinner for my husband - I don't have time to just sit and BE - I don't have time to hang out with my kids - I don't have time to have my grandkids spend the night - I don't have time to take a long bath or read a book or watch a movie.

For several months God has been doing some serious work in me. It has been hard. I am a multi-tasker who enjoys serving and I don't give up anything easily. For these past few months God has been prying my hands open.
He is saying to me - Stop - Be still - Know Me - Rest in ME. If you know me, you know that I don't sit well.

So... this year I will surrender. I will open my hands to Him. God has a balance for my life that I have not achieved in a long time. This will not be easy for me. I will be tempted to continue in my crazy lifestyle. Please feel free to make me accountable.

Life for most people has been accelerating and moving out of control. It is time to return to simplicity. Slow down - shed some of the extra things that keep our families on the run all the time. Turn off the TV - sit and talk with your kids - play games - pray together - read the Word together. Stop running from sport to sport - lesson to lesson. Allow yourself and your family to breathe and BE.

I pray that we will allow ourselves to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and that we will not lean on our own understanding. But In EVERYTHING we do we will acknowledge God and allow HIM to direct our paths.

Happy New Year!