Seay Side

Honduras: Day 3

2011-03-15T21:27:00.004-05:00

I didn't really expect today to be as powerful as yesterday, but I was wrong.
We arrived at Compassion Project No. 283 today and received a warm greeting. The children sang for us and we had an opportunity to hear from a Project Coordinator. A Project Coordinator is responsible for 15 Projects. Each project has an average of 200 children. I can't fathom the magnitude of her job, but she is passionate about reaching children for Jesus.
We served the children a meal and then we were able to bless this church by painting two of their classrooms. We had a ministry moment to pray for the pastor and be a support in some really difficult times. We also learned that there are 19 children in Project 283 that do not have sponsors.
Another woman asked us to pray for her. Her 15 year old son has left home, become involved in drugs and running from people who want to kill him. She has many other needs in her family. She believes in the power of prayer.
At the end of the day we visited another family in their home. This family has 7 children and lives in extreme poverty. When we asked how we could pray for them the wife asked that we pray that her husband would come to know the Lord. It was a moving time together.
Over and over we are reminded that only the hope of Jesus can change the lives of these children and families.
Compassion provides opportunities for children to learn about the hope of Christ and then they take this Hope back home to their families. Only Jesus can satisfy their soul!
Please pray for sponsors for the children in Honduras.

Honduras: Day 1 and 2

2011-03-14T22:28:00.003-05:00

Let me begin by saying that I am already a day behind... sorry!
We are here this week with an awesome group of people who are anxious to touch the lives of children and churches through ministry.
Day 1:
After landing and getting checked into our hotel, we went to lunch where we met our Leadership Development Student, Milcian.
Milcian is a 19 year old college student. She is in Compassion's Leadership Development Program. Our church now supports Milcian as she strives to complete her education and then have an impact on the people of her country. She knows and serves the Lord in her local church and was a Compassion child for many years. We all fell in love with her.
We were able to take her shopping for school clothes after lunch. She was so excited when we told her, especially because her suitcase, full of clothes, had been stolen recently.
Day 2:
We started early this morning. We went to Compassion Project #283. What a blessing! We were warmly greeted by the pastor and his wife and the Project Director. There was a sweet spirit in that place. When we arrived we were surprised to find that the child we sponsor (Fernando) was waiting at the entrance for us. We first met Fernando and his mom, Lesley, 2 years ago when we made our first trip to Honduras. He was so excited and it was a long time before he would leave Ed's lap. Angel Padilla and Mildred Ashworth also met their sponsored child. We also met the sponsored children of Steve and Kim Greenwell and Fred and Karen Miller. It was an incredibly special time for all of us. We helped serve lunch to the children, washed dishes, helped shampoo the hair of many children, played soccer and built some shelves for one of the classrooms.
After eating lunch we were able to go into the homes of some of the children. We visited Fernando's home and got to see his mom, Lesley, again. What a sweet reunion we had. Lesley and I bonded almost immediately the first time we met. She is so precious. She loves the Lord and loves her children. We cried together over the recent loss of her dad and I shared with her about my own dad's battle with cancer. We all gathered in their very small, one room home, and prayed for Lesley and for each of her children. My heart was overwhelmed with the poverty but vividly reminded of the reality the Christ brings hope to the darkest places.
There are no words to describe the blessings we received today - the many children we loved on - the prayers prayed on behalf of the work being done by the pastor and church - and the love of many project workers who give of their time to teach the love of Jesus to over 200 children in this one project.
I will post more pictures tomorrow. My camera and I were separated for a day but should be reunited tomorrow.
Please pray for our time here. Pray that God would use us to share His love and joy and that pastors and churches would be encouraged by our visit.

They shall walk and not be faint

2010-05-18T06:44:00.003-05:00

Four years ago on this day, the Lord supernaturally touched me and healed me from severe pain and complications following my knee replacement. Today I stand to give Him praise and all the glory. For you see, my healing was never about me. I did not deserve to be healed. I could not do enough to earn healing. I was not anymore special in God's eyes than anyone else in need of healing. My healing was simply a means to share with others the wonder and marvelous deeds of our Almighty God - our Jehovah Rapha.
So this morning as I was walking, I was reminded again of what God can do in a life - of the power of HIS touch. I was thankful for the ability to walk and not grow faint. I will be faithful to tell others of my great and mighty God.

20 Years!

2010-03-17T06:31:00.006-05:00

We thought we felt it, when God called us to First Baptist Church, Magnolia 20 years ago. It was the feeling of roots settling deep. Here we are 20 years later and we are so incredibly thankful that God has allowed us the gift of FBCM for all these years.
In 20 years, personally, we have seen our children graduate from high school, go to college, get married and have babies (lots of them). We have seen Jess totally grow up and now she is a junior in college. In our church, we have celebrated births and watched those little ones grow up. We have mourned the deaths of many friends and watched God bring healing to broken hearts.
We have seen children come to know Jesus and grow up to love God and serve Him. We have watched our church campus renovate and expand and then watched as the buildings were filled with people from all over our area. God is so good!!!!
I have loved watching my husband lead and pastor and pray over this church. He loves this church with all of his heart.
I am thankful for friends that have loved us unconditionally and for a church that has allowed us to live out our lives before them as openly and honestly as we knew how. Not all churches will allow that. FBCM is a special place.
Thank you for loving my husband and my children and embracing us fully. We are honored to be called your Pastor and family.
We can't wait to see what God has in store for the years beyond. We want to fight the good fight and run the race well.

Planned Parenthood Director Now Stands for Life!

2009-11-03T06:54:00.001-06:00

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

2009-10-08T00:15:00.002-05:00

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!!!

2009-06-21T15:22:00.003-05:00

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!!!!

2009-06-18T08:03:00.005-05:00

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!

2009-05-30T20:32:00.005-05:00

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

2009-05-25T09:25:00.004-05:00

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

2009-05-22T22:28:00.004-05:00

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

2009-04-22T21:24:00.004-05:00

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?

2009-03-31T08:11:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-17T23:36:00.002-05:00

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!!!!

2009-03-15T23:23:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-10T07:52:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-06T12:07:00.003-06:00

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

2009-02-24T20:58:00.003-06:00

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!

2009-02-02T21:42:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-20T06:44:00.004-06:00

The day they first met.

The family after attending church in Ethiopia.

Crazy kids!!

Thank you for praying!

2009-01-16T06:53:00.003-06:00

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!

2009-01-11T16:28:00.003-06:00

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!

2009-01-08T08:03:00.005-06:00

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

2009-01-07T08:27:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-06T08:52:00.004-06:00

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 __________

2009-01-02T20:49:00.002-06:00

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!

Happy Birthday, Rob!

2008-12-29T22:24:00.003-06:00

Today is my youngest son's birthday. Robbie was the youngest of our first 4 - the "baby" of the family for 12 years before Jessica joined our family.
Robbie has many gifts - some of them are incredibly obvious - his music and his ability to communicate the message of Christ are some of those.
But others you may not know - Robbie has a gift of bringing peace into a room. He can make anyone feel extra special. He has been doing this since he was a toddler. His smile is contagious and the spirit behind the smile makes everything else alright.
Robbie is a great son - he makes me feel loved.
Robbie is an amazing husband and father.
Robbie is a gifted musician.
I love you Robbie and Happy Birthday!
You are still cool:)

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T08:30:00.002-06:00

Here it is - December 23, 2008 and I am thinking of ways to slow these days down and simply enjoy the celebration -
the time with family -
the sounds of Christmas - I love Christmas music -
the sights of Christmas - lights, decorations -
the spirit of Christmas - people are often friendlier -
I love to hear people say "Merry Christmas" -
I love to say "Merry Christmas".
But somehow I want to convey the depth of that statement - Merry Christmas!!!
I want to stop and say...
"No, really - I want you to know the Christ of Christmas.
I want you to experience the Peace that Christ brings.
I want you to stand in the hope that we have in our Savior.
I pray that you can know the love that God has for you.
I wish for you JOY.

So... today I am going to find ways to attempt to convey that to the people I see. I'm not sure how.
I am asking the Lord to show me - to give me words and expressions that speak peace and love.
I don't want to be obnoxious or inappropriate.
I just want to say "Merry Christmas" and really mean it.

Meet our newest Grandkids!

2008-12-16T14:45:00.003-06:00

Meet Yeneneh and Sosina (Sosy) Seay! Yeneneh is 9 years old and Sosy is 4 years old. They should be home in Nashville by the end of January. Thank you for your prayers!

Please Pray for our Tomorrow

2008-12-14T16:23:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow in Ethiopia, Monday, Dec. 15, is the court date that will officially give us two more grandchildren.

Our son and his wife, Brian and Amy, have been on an incredible journey of adoption and tomorrow will hopefully see that dream become a reality. To read about their journey click here.

Please pray for the court date - for no interruptions or distractions that would postpone the finalization of the adoption. Pray also for their travel to Ethiopia in the next few weeks. They will travel with all 4 of their children to meet their new son and daughter and to complete the process that will bring them home to become a part of our family.

Watch for news of the adoption tomorrow afternoon at brianseay.wordpress.com.

Also, read here about the need for sponsors for Compassion kids around the world. What better Christmas gift could you give?

Christmastime is Here!

2008-12-12T21:17:00.002-06:00

Can't you just hear that classic song from Charlie Brown in your head right now?

I love Christmas and what it means for our family times together.

Grandkids on Ice

Grandkids with Santa

Jess with Santa

We saw "White Christmas" at the theatre - a gift to my parents for Christmas and birthday. It was great!

Advent: Hope and Peace

2008-12-09T07:04:00.003-06:00

Advent means "waiting with great expectation". I can't imagine how God's people must have struggled to wait patiently for their promised Messiah. They had waited so long for their redeemer. I am ashamed at times to realize that I don't fall on my knees often enough to give thanks for my salvation and for the One who saved me.

I want to use this season of Advent to worship my Lord - to thank Him for dying in my place - for saving me from eternal separation from God - for giving me life here on this earth that is full and abundant because of the work that He does through the Holy Spirit - to thank Him for the HOPE that He brings into our lives.

The observance of Advent also reminds me of the Peace that comes with knowing Jesus. He came to bring Peace on Earth and He promises Peace for all who will put their faith in Him. He is our Peace - our Jehovah Shalom.

Do I live like I have this Peace? I confess that I am consumed by "busyness" and don't allow Him to be my Peace - to bring down all the things in my life that are unnecessary - and allow Him to simply "lead me beside the still waters". Will you allow Him to take you to the still waters this season? Let's just sit down- be still - and worship Him - rest in Him. What could be more important?

Soles 4 Souls - Buy 2 pairs of shoes for $5

2008-11-10T21:28:00.002-06:00

You can too!
Join the biggest blogging charity challenge ever!
Buy some shoes and then put this link on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc...
Get your credit card out and go here to buy shoes! Five Dollars is something we can all do.
Read more about where this idea started from Anne at flowerdust.net

Sponsor a Compassion child today!

2008-11-06T20:54:00.002-06:00

My son Brian is in the Domincan Republic this week with several bloggers. They are working on getting children sponsored. Read more about it here. The need is great. Sponsor a child today.

In the News!

2008-11-03T10:47:00.002-06:00

My son made The Houston Chronicle again. Please forgive me for being a proud mom - but I just need a moment.
Chris is my oldest child. He was a strong-willed, determined child and teenager. I always told him that he was going to make an amazing adult. And he is. We are very proud of him!
As we did for all of our children, we prayed for God's plan to unfold in Chris' life. We watched as he shared Christ with classmates in high school and as he did amazing things at Baylor and God has continued to take Chris to really cool places. One of the latest of these is in the project - The Voice. Chris has worked for years to make scripture come alive to people who may never have realized the beauty and power of God's Word. It a beautiful translation of scripture. To learn more about it read this article that appeared in the Religion section of the Chronicle last week.

It's Time to Vote!

2008-10-31T13:54:00.003-05:00

I am not into politics, though I am passionate about our freedoms and our right to vote and being involved in the democratic process.
I have heard so many Christians speak of fear when they talk about this election and it makes me sad. We serve a sovereign God who knows all things and who is in control. I take complete comfort in that truth. Fear is not from God!
I encourage you to read this article. It is a great reminder of how Christians should vote.

It's almost over!

2008-10-24T18:24:00.003-05:00

Wow - it's already been a week. We are sad and ready to get home all at the same time. This is probably the best vacation we have ever had! That's a big statement because we have always loved to "cruise" but this vacation has had a different element - a complete get-away from the city - people - tourist activities - a total disconnect.
God has really been working on me and my inability to relax so this week has been one lesson after another on how to rest in the Lord.
I will share more about what God has been saying to me. Just know that I have never relaxed like this - maybe in my whole life.
God has been gracious to give us such an awesome time away together.

Vermont!

2008-10-20T18:16:00.006-05:00

I have always wanted to go to Vermont. I think it is because I love the movie "White Christmas" and who wouldn't want to go there. Well, I checked, there is no real Pine Tree, Vermont or Columbia Inn.
But today we drove to Bennington, Vermont. It was beautiful and fun to be in this place that I have always dreamed of.
We are having an amazing time. We are so relaxed that we can hardly move tonight. It is an amazing peaceful, relaxing kind of vacation that we desperately needed.
Enjoy the pics!!!!

We went hiking on Mt. Greylock. Loving the weather and our time together.

This is a panoramic view of the mountains in Vermont. This picture has not been "retouched". I wish there was some way to show you the amazing colors. The yellows and orange fade into a pink hue and the amazing red just makes the whole scene come alive. It's amazing.

This house is on a pumpkin farm in Vermont. Isn't that cool?

New England in the Fall!

2008-10-19T17:29:00.003-05:00

We are in S. Lee, Massachussets in the middle of the Berkshire Mountains. We spent today making our first drive around the area "leaf peeping" as they call it. I just kept saying "Oh, my gosh" over and over again. Our Lord is so amazing. He has to love colors because He has created a palette of colors that my mind has trouble comprehending. This will cause you to worship our creator. We have had the most awesome day. I'll post more pictures tomorrow.

Falling in Love with Jesus

2008-10-15T06:42:00.003-05:00

We are doing the study "Falling in Love with Jesus: Abandoning Yourself to the Greatest Romance of Your Life" with my Bible study group on Sunday nights. We have done a lot of different studies, but I'm not sure that one of them has touched me in the deepest recesses of my heart as this one has.

It works to bring down the barriers that have built up in our lives by pain, rejection and disappointment and then points you to a love that is like no other... a deep down kind of love that only God can have for us.

One of the memory verses that I love to repeat to myself is from Zephaniah 3:17...
"The Lord your God is with YOU; He is mighty to save [YOU]; He takes great delight in YOU; He quiets YOU with His love; He rejoices over YOU with singing."

To know that God not only loves me but pursues me is beyond my ability to comprehend. Why would God pursue someone as sinful and ugly as me? Why would He continually wait for me and sing over me when I am struggling to obey - struggling to be where He wants me to be?

He loves me as I am. He created me. He pursues me. He is lonely for me. He is the Bridegroom longing for His Bride.

"Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. What pleasure He took in planning this!" Ephesians 1:4-5 The Message

Do you understand the depth of God's love for YOU?

It's my baby girl's birthday!

2008-10-08T21:27:00.002-05:00

This is my baby daughter. Isn't she beautiful?!!!
Jessica was a very special surprise gift to our family in 1989. We were not looking for another child - we had four teenagers and had no clue that we were not done having children. But God had a different plan and we are so blessed that He did.
Jess turned 20 years old today. I can't even believe that I am saying that.
She is an amazing young woman. She has been loved by this family in a very special way. She has had more "parents" than one child could ever need. She has a unique relationship with each of her siblings.
She is passionate about the Lord, art, photography and children. She is mission-minded and hates injustice.
Happy Birthday, Jess!
I love you more!!!!!!

Our Last Day

2008-10-05T19:51:00.004-05:00

Today we experienced amazing worship and the presence of the Holy Spirit at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. This afternoon we heard Paul Baloche. He was wasn't really "in concert" because it wasn't about him - he led us in worship straight to the throne. He was great.

Tonight we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset. It was relaxing and beautiful as well as a bit disconcerting if you spent time looking down at the water under your feet.

We have had an amazing week. It's fun to travel with my best friend. We love the same things and can pretty much read each other's mind. I love that man!

Here we are on the bridge...

More on New York

2008-10-03T17:36:00.008-05:00

On Wednesday, we spent most of the day on Liberty and Ellis Islands learning more about this symbol of our liberty and freedom and about the millions of people who immigrated to our country because of the poverty and oppression they faced in their own countries. It was an impressive and moving day.
Also, we are proud to claim that we climbed the 160 steps to the base of the Statue of Liberty. (That is way more than it sounds like.) I am proud!

Thursday we walked around the World Trade Center site and Wall Street/Financial District (that's a sad place these days). After that we took the subway to Little Italy where we enjoyed the best New York pizza ever. Some of you may know that I have been on a strict diet for 8 months, but today I put the diet aside and just enjoyed the pizza. It was awesome!

Thursday night we saw Mary Poppins. This choice was really for me but the advertising is true - "it's a musical an adult can enjoy". It was amazing! Staging, special effects and the music were all incredible.

We love New York!!!!!

The Unraffle

2008-10-02T17:04:00.002-05:00

I interrupt this vacation to remind you of THE UNRAFFLE benefitting the adoption of our two newest grandchildren from Ethiopia. For $25 you can purchase a ticket that will be a part of a drawing tomorrow (Friday) at noon for a 7 day vacation. Click here to learn more about it. Remember this money will go straight to the expenses needed to complete the adoption of these two amazing children who will soon be "Seay's".

We love New York!

2008-09-30T22:44:00.004-05:00

This our third trip to New York together and we love it - the chaos, the noise, the smells (most of them), the sights and so on.
Today we walked a lot - wandered the subway stations a couple of times looking for the right signs to get us where we were going. - said "hello" and "goodbye" to Yankee Stadium. They will be tearing down the 85 year old stadium and moving into a new one just across the street. For those of you who don't know - we are true baseball fans and we love visiting baseball fields around the country.
This is a picture of us at "The Top of the Rock". That is Central Park behind Ed's head. The view is amazing from up there - 70 stories above street level in Rockefeller Center.

Tonight we saw a great, funny and mindless play and had a late dinner. We love New York!

15 now.... 17 soon!!

2008-09-22T09:56:00.007-05:00

I am talking about grandkids. We are blessed with 15 right now. But soon, we will have 17.
This my son, Brian and his wife Amy and their 4 kids. Their adoption journey began to take root in my family room. I was talking about a baby that seemed to be hard to place for adoption because of its ethnicity. Amy's heart was broken over this baby and she began the process of considering what God might have them do. A week or so after they returned home from our family Christmas gathering, Brian called to ask about this baby and to say that they would love to be considered if this baby needed a family. This seemed to be a turning point for them. Though this baby no longer had a need, they soon learned about a sibling group in foster care that needed a family. They began to seriously pursue helping these children, but God had another plan.
Brian works with Compassion International and experiences regularly the plight of children around the world who are affected by poverty, loss of parents, war and illness. His experiences has literally changed the way our whole family views the world and the needs of people. Through this, God revealed to them HIS plan for them to adopt from Ethiopia. We just learned a couple of weeks ago that they have received a "match" and soon we will add 2 amazing children to the Seay clan. We are so excited!!!! Read more about their journey here.
Brian and Amy have saved a lot of money to cover their adoption expenses but now, with the loving choice to accept 2 children, they will need to raise some money to complete this journey.
Would you consider being a part of bringing these two children to our family? Though God directs us to care for the orphans, it does not mean that everyone is supposed to adopt. It might simply mean that you will care for the orphans by making a monetary contribution. Click here to read more about their need to raise the last of the money to complete this adoption process. God tells us to care for the orphans and we believe that their are some who may not adopt but could contribute to helping others adopt.
We also appreciate your prayers during this time. There are specific requests for this family - that the money will be raised to get the family to Ethiopia - that there will be no legal complications in Ethiopia -that the timing will be absolutely God's timing - that the bonding time with these children will be natural and easy - that the changes in their home will come easily.
Thank you for believing in our family and for praying for us!

It's not over until all the lights are on!

2008-09-20T20:41:00.008-05:00

We survived with little damage. We threw away hundreds of dollars worth of food from our refrigerator and freezer. That was a bit painful but nothing compared to what others have suffered because of this storm. We were without power from Saturday morning at 5 a.m. until Wednesday. We were praising God for the cool weather.

I am sad tonight for the damage done to my "happy place", Galveston.

I'm sad for families that lost so much and for families that still have no power or water.
Pray for these families!

This is a tree in our front yard that was leaning toward our house right after the storm. Though the tree didn't fall during the storm, the roots began to lift out of the ground and the tree leaned a bit more toward our house. God is gracious.

This is the same tree on Sunday. With a little help from our friends, the tree was brought down without damaging our house. Those guys were amazing!

This is our grandson, Solomon, standing on our playground. A large tree on the side of our house fell during the storm right in the middle of the playground. It damaged our Rainbow playset but didn't touch the house. Amazing!

Support My Sons, Please! You will love it!

2008-09-09T22:48:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is the start of (son #4) Robbie's tour, Hope, Coffee and Melody.
An awesome evening of music, coffee and dialogue with my (son #1) Chris, who is on the road as well.
Also joining the tour are Alli Rogers and Chris Taylor, AMAZING singer songwriters in their own rights.

Check out the first few tour dates starting tomorrow in Dallas.
The band would love to see you!
If your city is not on here, check the Robbie Seay Band website for other dates.

Wednesday, September 10:
 The Heights Baptist Church
 201 West Renner Road 
Richardson, TX 75080
 7:00 pm
 TICKETS - $8

Thursday, September 11
Common Grounds Coffee Shop
1123 8th St.
Waco Tx 76706
8pm
Tickets $10

Friday, September 12
Crossings Community Church
14600 North Portland Ave
Oklahoma City OK
7pm
Tickets $7

You can purchase tickets on www.itickets.com or at the door.
*College students are free if they print out something with the Hope, Coffee, Melody poster on it...from here or myspace.

Line up your babysitter, plan a date night, invite your friends...
It promises to be a great night of entertainment and inspiration!

5 Days ... 4 Kids... and a lot of fun!

2008-09-02T20:56:00.004-05:00

Our daughter, Jenn and her husband, Rusty, went on a trip to Lake Louise, Canada to celebrate their 10th anniversary and we kept their 4 children for 5 days.

I must say that we are not as young or in good "toddler parenting" shape like we used to be. So... we are tired.

But we had a great time with our grandkids. On Day 1, we talked about some fun things we could do and Jax (age 6) proclaimed loudly - "My brain is overflowing with ideas!"

Day 1 we went to the mall - played in the play area - rode the merry-go-round - ate in the food court - and rode the Woodlands Waterway Boat. We had a great day!

Day 2 we went to the zoo. We met Chris and his 4 kids there. We had a picnic, saw the animals that were not offended by the heat and survived the humidity.
After leaving the zoo, we went to the Houstonian and swam in a great family pool with a water slide and had dinner poolside. The kids were great and we had a great time,

Today we have recovered - cleaned house and put all the furniture and decorations back in their proper place and in a way only recognized by grandparents we will begin to miss those special, little people.

Amazing Grandchildren

2008-08-22T23:24:00.003-05:00

Can I just say (once again) that I have the most amazing grandchildren?

They are smart, funny, talented and creative.

Check out Emma's blog for some fascinating tales created by her. Emma will be 8 years old in September and will begin the 2nd grade in the next few days at the Bacak School of Higher Learning.

Watch for other features on other grandchildren.

This is where I get to brag whenever I want.

(and yes, that is a picture of all 15 grandchildren)

Seay Side

2008-08-21T07:55:00.003-05:00

With a little help from my family and Vanessa with Butterfly Sparks Designs I am all new!

My new blog header really reflects what I love.

Thanks Rob and Liz for the Mother's Day gift. I love it!

I love the beach, the sound of the waves, sunrises and sunsets on the beach - we call it my "happy place".

Everyone needs one.

Where is your "happy place"?

Our Family and the Houston Astros

2008-08-18T08:00:00.004-05:00

We have always been an "Astros family". When I was 11 years old I went to the very first Astros game played in the Astrodome. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I still have the program to prove it.

When our kids were little we would go to the Astrodome with all of them - sit in the dollar seats (yes, they were $1 for Adults and 50 cents for kids) - take our picnic lunch and cooler of lemonade and hang out with the Astros. We loved it (well, maybe except for Jenn and eventually Jess.)

We continue the legacy with our grandkids and all the boys received Astros attire for their birthdays this year.

Rob had a great opportunity last week to attend the game - sit in the GOOD seats - meet and greet with some Astros players and tour the clubhouse. I guess maybe those are "rock star" benefits:) Here is a picture of Robbie, Ethan and Lance Berkman.

This is good stuff!

HELP! I'm having a Blog Identity Crisis

2008-08-13T17:39:00.003-05:00

Let me say from the start that this post requires a comment, so please take a minute and help me out.

I'm tired of my Blog title. It fits - I do wear way too many hats = but nonetheless - I think I would like a new blog title!

The sad thing is this - I can't think of one.

My daughter in law, Liz, gave me a gift certificate to get a customized blog header and I'm really excited about that.
But it made me realize that I needed to settle the issue of what I want to call my blog and who I really am.
The blog header lady asks questions like - the colors - the text - the look - the feel. Wow was I overwhelmed.

I have trouble on those "I Am" things where you have to figure who you are and what you like - that worries me a lot.

Anyway, would you help me out and give me some feedback on this blog title thing.

I would really appreciate your help.

August Birthdays

2008-08-04T22:27:00.003-05:00

It's August 4 and we have already celebrated two special birthdays.

Our #11 grandchild, Eliana August Seay, turned 4 years old on August 1. She celebrated with a Princess Tea Party.

Today my dad celebrated 75 years of life. Dad is a man that has served God for more than 50 years and loves his family passionately. He has 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. We are blessed to call him Dad and Poppa!

New Life Yellow Pages Ad

2008-07-30T21:59:00.003-05:00

Recently New Life had a one-minute video done for our online Yellow Pages ad. Click here to view the video.
It would help us a lot if you would take a minute to leave a comment on the page by clicking on "Rate It".

Rock Star Preachers

2008-07-25T21:54:00.002-05:00

The Houston Chronicle has made a list of 10 "rock star preachers" and my oldest son, Chris, is one of them.
Check out this link to see my rock-star son!
Scroll through to number 9 - the boxes below the picture - and you will find him.
I love being the mom to rock-star children. You've got to be proud!!!!

A Personal Assistant of the Virtual Kind

2008-07-24T20:27:00.002-05:00

I am busier than I really want to be.

I want to delegate but often can't figure what to hand to someone else.

I wear many hats and never seem to complete my "to do" list.

I think I need a personal assistant.

This week I saw a story on the Today Show.

Check out a possible virtual assistant here

I might try it someday if I can figure out what to give them to do.

Celebrate Life all over again

2008-07-14T19:53:00.004-05:00

Fifteen years ago today, my daugther, Jenn, had brain surgery to remove a tumor from her pituitary gland. You can read more about that day here - my post on this day last year.

It was a day to realize that life is fragile.

It was one of the hardest days of my life. Walking away from Jenn in the holding area - leaving her alone and scared - was devastating. They told us I could not be with her because she was 18 years old. Like that made her suddenly not need her Mom?!!!

God blessed us with a nurse that quickly saw the need for me to be with her and she came and found me ( I was actually crying hysterically in the ladies room at the time). I pray that there is never a time when she decides that she doesn't need her Mom.

God was gracious that day - He blessed us with a skilled surgeon and with dozens of friends and prayer warriors.

Jenn's recovery was difficult but 6 weeks later she left home for college (another hard day for a mom -especially when your daughter just had brain surgery).

I stand in awe of God's blessings on Jenn's life. Life has not been easy for her, but her trust has been in the Lord God!

Her life stands for Christ - her words direct you to Him - her kids will rise up and call her blessed.

I'm thankful today for Jenn and the life that God has given her.

Seay Family 4th of July Celebration

2008-07-07T22:23:00.002-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

You can press stop on the Playlist while you watch the slideshow:)

Tennesee Grandkids

2008-07-04T22:41:00.002-05:00

I spent a few days earlier this week in Tennessee hanging out with my grandkids while Brian and Amy went to the Dominican Republic. You can read about their visit to several Compassion projects here.
The kids and I had a great time. We saw both Kung Fu Panda and WallE, went to the pool a couple of times, a trip to Target, Marble Slab and Olive Garden. They are growing up fast and we treasure opportunities to be with them.
Please remember Brian and Amy and their kids as they wait on information about their adoption in Ethiopia. We may know really soon about the little one that will become a part of our family.

Ed's 40th High School Reunion

2008-06-30T22:02:00.004-05:00

Ed and I attended his 40th high school reunion this past weekend. I have never been to a high school reunion so I wasn't sure what to expect. Someone had told us that at the 20th reunion everyone is still trying to prove themselves and at the 40th they are all just happy to be there.
Ed was able to see some old friends. The ones pictures here - Donald and David (twins) - were his best friends from elementary school through high school. It was fun to see them.
As for the reunion, there was a lot of talk about putting on your glasses so you could see and speaking louder so you could here (most of it in fun, but not all of it).
What I can say for sure is that clean living pays off! Ed was the youngest looking one there!
The evening was topped off with Ed winning the prize for the most grandchildren. Go figure!!!! Way to go, babe!

Global Food Crisis and What we Can Do

2008-06-26T07:37:00.004-05:00

My son, Brian works for Compassion International. Go to his blog to find out how you can be a part of the solution! Let's don't just sit and ignore the massive numbers of people who go to sleep at night hungry. We are a blessed people who need to step up and help in Jesus name.

The Curse of Perfectionism

2008-06-21T05:37:00.003-05:00

Hard-headed, strong-willed, opinionated, pure melancholy, PERFECTIONIST
These are words that have been used to describe me during my lifetime.

I have lived life battling my perfectionism – struggling with expectations vs. reality. It felt like a curse.

Being a perfectionist can result in…
Disrespecting my husband - "why can't you be what I need you to be"
Impatience with others - "do it my way now"
Critical spirit - "no one knows how to do it right"
Missing the moment - so worried about things that we don't stop for the moment
Misplaced priorities- so worried about things that we don't put God and people at the top of the list
Caring more about what others think
Focusing more on what I am DOING for God rather than working on my relationship with God
Stress, stress, stress - Did you know that perfectionist have one of the highest rates for auto-immune diseases - IT AFFECTS THE BODY
Discontentment - life can never be what we want it to be; people can never be what we expect them to be.

If you struggle with "the curse", please know that God gifted you with your personality. It is what we allow Him to do with it that makes the difference. Perfectionism is all about ME - not necessarily about GOD. Learning to allow Him to take the ME part and direct it back to HIM is the answer. This is an ongoing process for me. It will always be the struggle between self and God. I have not arrived, but I am now experiencing what life can be like when I'm not trying to "do it all" - "be it all" - "fix it all".

If you are one of "these", I encourage you - give it up to God - the peace that you experience when you realize that you don't have to make EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE perfect is amazing. The relief that it doesn't have to be your job or that it is simply not that important is exhilarating.

Proverbs 3:5-12 (The Message)
5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
He's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.

Join me in recovery and tell me your story.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T15:36:00.003-05:00

We are a blessed family to have an amazing Father. Ed has been a godly example for his sons and they now stand as incredible fathers to their children (a total of 15!). I am so proud of my son's and son-in-law. Though they travel or have jobs that require lots of time, they do all that they can to be present, to be helpful, to be teachers, to model character and to show the kind of love that every child needs.
I love you all!
Mom

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T15:35:00.001-05:00

2008-06-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Pop-Pop!

2008-06-11T21:58:00.003-05:00

We just spent 4 days with all 26 of our family in one house - 15 grandkids and 11 adults - at the beach. It was made possible by the head of our large family, Pop-Pop (aka Dad or Ed). He loves his family more than you can know and he absolutely does all that he can to help his family know of the love he has for them. The picture here was taken when most of the grandkids attacked him with a huge thank-you group hug.

Sunrise on Galveston Beach

2008-06-10T22:28:00.004-05:00

Three of my granddaughters joined me on the beach this morning at 6 a.m. for sunrise and searching for sea shells. The clouds blocked some of the view but gave us some great pictures and a moment to recognize again the beauty of God's creation.

Family Vacation

2008-06-09T21:46:00.002-05:00

We are away on a Family Vacation with all 26 of us. We love the beach and the kids are becoming true "beach kids". There is nothing sweeter than watching your kids and grandkids playing together and loving on each other. It has been so fun to watch us "herd" all of these kids from one place to the other. Tonight we are all glowing with a touch of the sun. Tomorrow morning some of us girls will rise early and go watch the sun rise on the beach. I hope to post some great sunrise pics tomorrow.

Nail Salon - Anjelah Johnson - Comedy Time

2008-06-02T23:06:00.001-05:00

If you have ever had your nails done - you will love this video. It is so true!

Happy Birthday, Ed!

2008-05-31T21:52:00.004-05:00

Today I want to honor my husband on his birthday.
Ed is a godly man, an amazing husband and father, a pastor who loves his church and desires more than anything to serve the Lord with passion and integrity.
I took him away this weekend to downtown Houston. We enjoyed a great dinner at a new restaurant in Discovery Green then enjoyed a show at the Hobby Center. Today he saw Indiana Jones and was then surprised by our kids and grandkids at Discovery Green for dinner. It's been a great weekend. We just want him to feel loved!

Happy Birthday to Brian and Jenn!

2008-05-31T09:10:00.007-05:00

Jenn is married to Dr. Rusty and is an amazing mom to four children. She and her family celebrated her #33 birthday at Camp Ozark.

Brian works for Compassion International and he spent his birthday #35 in Uganda. His family has this birthday hat tradition. Here he is in his birthday hat surrounded by Ugandan children.

Grandkids

2008-05-29T22:18:00.004-05:00

Ethan's kindergarten graduation.

Hanna and Trinity in Peter Pan - they were great!

Emma in her first horse show - she beat out girls older than her.

Global Food Crisis

2008-05-26T20:13:00.005-05:00

My kids are always challenging me and helping me grow in my faith and in my compassion for the impoverished people in this world. Read this article written by my son Brian and consider how you can be a part of the solution for the hungry people all over the world. I am saddened to think of the food we ate for dinner tonight and then to think of how many children are going to bed hungry. It is time for us to sacrifice. What will you choose to do?

God Still Heals

2008-05-18T22:00:00.002-05:00

Two years ago tonight, May 18, 2006, the Lord miraculously healed my knee. After a knee replacement I had many complications and found myself in terrible pain all the time. I walked into a worship conference in California with a cane and walked out that night with no assistance holding my cane high. It is a defining moment in my life - an experience that is a complete miracle.
I am humbled that the Lord would choose to heal me. Tonight I give glory to Jehovah Rapha - the God who heals.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T14:56:00.003-05:00

I want to tell you about the mothers of my grandchildren. They all love the Lord. They all love their husbands. They all love being mothers. As I get to spend time with each one of them I always come away saying what awesome mothers they are! Thank you Jenn, Lisa, Amy and Liz for making the job of mothering look so amazing - for making your kids a priority in your lives without feeling that you have lost your identity and your purpose in life - for loving your husbands and being sure that your marriage is a strong one - for loving family and for loving yourselves.
I love you all,
Cindy/Mom

He did it!

2008-04-26T21:28:00.003-05:00

Once again my kids amaze me and make me proud. My second son, Brian, ran his first half marathon today - the Music City Half Marathon in Nashville. I am impressed with the discipline, the motivation, the training. I am mostly just proud!!!!
He officially finished in 2 hours 32 minutes.
You might remember that my daughter, Jennifer, ran a half marathon just a few weeks ago.
I am presently working on my "Bucket List" but I don't think running a half marathon will be on it. I will have to experience that one through my kids.
What's on your "Bucket List"?

A Happy Heart!

2008-04-21T21:49:00.005-05:00

This month I added a year to my life and, like many, I try to schedule all my "check-ups" around my birthday so I can remember them every year.
This year my dr. encouraged me to have a heart scan before coming in for my yearly exam. I have a fairly significant family history for heart disease and a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol ( I won't even start to tell you my mom's numbers). I have fought the high cholesterol thing since I was about 40. Because I am a "naturalist/alternative medicine" person I have resisted cholesterol-lowering drugs - much to my doctor's dismay. We have had a few serious conversations as I held fast to that conviction. So, before my appointment with the dr. I had a heart scan and I had by labs drawn to check my cholesterol levels.

I must admit that I was nervous about hearing those two reports. My dr. waltzed into the exam room and all but hugged me telling me that she had amazing news for me. My heart scan results were PERFECT and my cholesterol had dropped 100 points. Only those who closely watch their cholesterol can relate.

I have been on a sugar-free/yeast-free diet since Feb. 1 and it seems that this has affected my cholesterol drastically. Surprise!

Because I have few options for breakfast food, I eat oatmeal about 4 times a week. I think I will email Quaker Oats and tell them that I should be on one of their commercials promoting oatmeal as a heart healthy food.

Secrets to a happy heart - lose the sugar and bread and eat your oatmeal.

I feel like I've been given a new lease on life.

Here's to a happy heart!

Is Chivalry Dead?

2008-04-19T16:02:00.004-05:00

Chivalry: A Definition
1. Gallantry, courtesy and honor.
2. The noble qualities a knight was supposed to have, such as courage and a readiness to help the weak.
3. The demonstration of any of these qualities.

I have had several occasions lately in which a "knight in shining armor" would have been welcomed.
Recently at a picnic, I was folding, carrying and lifting 2 fairly heavy tables by myself. As I was doing this there were several men near me - watching me - and passing me... and none of them stopped to offer their assistance.
Yesterday I was in an elevator with one man. When the doors opened he barreled out of the elevator nearly knocking me down.
Last night I stopped at the dry cleaners to pick up clothes. I was ready to pull out of my parking place but had to wait while the man parked next to me put his clothes in his massive truck. He left both doors open and, not wanting to risk hitting him, I patiently waited. The man even looked my way at one point - I think he was looking to be sure I wasn't going to rip his truck doors off their hinges. Suddenly, he jumped in his truck and sped out of his parking place.
I sat there thinking - is chivalry completely dead? Is there no simple common courtesy?

I "googled" Chivalry and these are a few things I found...

Some women have been taught that displays of chivalry are demeaning and condescending, and men have come to believe that courtesy and respectful attitudes aren’t “manly.” I think it is time to realize that the 21st century needs a Code of Chivalry.

Anyone — men and women, teachers and coaches, students and soldiers, doctors and athletes — any one of us can be a knight in shining armor. And every one of us should be.

The code of chivalry is, at its heart, simply a handbook for good conduct. But chivalry was not a mandate from the powerful to the downtrodden, nor a directive from the chosen unto the masses. It was a set of limitations which the strong and mighty placed upon themselves with the realization that setting a good example sends a message which is far more powerful than any words on paper.

It seems that for some it is too late to teach them to be courteous and respectful, but it is not too late to teach our children.
This is not just a "male" thing, though I believe that men should hold doors for women, let them go in front of them, etc., etc.
This is about teaching our children to be kind - to consider others before themselves.

I pray that we will be raising a new generation of children that will put upon themselves a code of chivalry, setting an powerful example of kindness and respect.

Let's do our part in teaching our children and grandchildren.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-04-09T23:55:00.002-05:00

Today I added another year to my age. I didn't find it to be traumatic - in fact it was pretty relaxing. We are in Tennessee visiting Brian and Amy and their four kids.
I started the day with a birthday breakfast with the kids and then went on to play about 10 games of "Battle" with Nathaniel, the youngest of the four. There is no stress in playing "Battle". There was nothing else I had to do except hang out with my kids and grandkids and enjoy the day. I even loved wearing the birthday hat.
I heard from all my kids today and other family and friends and that makes me feel blessed.
Except for some extra aches, I love being my age. A lot of things that used to matter a lot just simply aren't that important anymore. I can speak my mind with a bit more ease and it doesn't bother me as much that I need to lose a few pounds.
I love learning and I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anybody.
I have an amazing husband and I just want us to grow old together.
Life is good and God has blessed me.

My Children's Children

2008-04-01T22:26:00.002-05:00

I am a blessed woman. I have seen all 5 of my children receive Christ, grow to love Him and serve Him passionately. Now the next generation of believers is being raised up to become mighty warriors for the Lord.
A couple of weeks ago were blessed to be a part of Jax's baptism. His little spirit was so sweet and his smile said it all. He was now a child of God and he was ready to be obedient and be baptized.
During that same service we sat with 11 of our grandchildren during a communion service. It was a powerful picture of Jesus sacrifice for our sins. At least 3 of them came away talking about what it meant to ask Jesus into their lives. There is nothing sweeter!!!
One week later our #2 grandaughter was baptized by her dad. We were not able to be there because it was Easter Sunday. Nonetheless, she is now proclaiming that she has committed her life to Christ. Praise God!!!
Proverbs 128 has always been a favorite of mine - verse 6 says "and may you live to see your children's children."
Thank you, Father that I not only have lived to see my children's children but I have lived to see them come to know you.

Proud of my daughters!

2008-02-26T08:29:00.006-06:00

My youngest daughter, Jessica, is about to begin the last quarter of her freshman year at HBU. She has done so amazingly well with college life. She is growing spiritually by leaps and bounds and she has recently had two great accomplishments. She applied to become an RA in her dorm and just learned that she got the job. She will be so good at this. She also learned that she has gotten the job to be a "SOAR" leader this summer when the new freshmen come to orientation. I just know that all of this is part of preparing her for God's plan for her future. I'm so proud of her! Check out her blog to learn more about her passion for the Lord and for photography.

My oldest daughter, Jennifer, has done something that I can never do - she ran a half-marathon on Sunday. I find this totally amazing and cannot comprehend running for over 2 hours. It has been quite a journey for her - both physically and spiritually. Check out her blog to learn more about this amazing feat she has accomplished.

We Love, We Love God's Word!

2008-02-16T19:10:00.003-06:00

Listen as my grandson sings the books of the New Testament (putting many of us to shame). Not only is he the cutest thing you've ever seen but he knows God's Word and he truly loves it. What a blessing to see your grandkids growing in the Lord!

Hope in the midst of Hopelessness

2008-02-13T09:00:00.003-06:00

I invite you to experience (at least by blogs) the Compassion Uganda trip that my son Brian is on right now.
Simply go to brianseay.wordpress.com. You will be encouraged and shamed - you will be motivated to give to pray and to go.
Let me know how you are feeling about what you read!

Uganda 2008 Large

2008-02-05T21:18:00.000-06:00

We're Expecting!

2008-01-28T10:19:00.000-06:00

Yes, you heard me right. We are expecting!

It has now been over a year since we added a baby to the Seay family. That might be a record for us.
But God is doing something different in our family. As you already know, we are family that believes in adoption.
God has blessed us with a beautiful daughter by adoption. God has given us 2 amazing grandsons by adoption.
And now we wait for the grandchildren that God is adding to our family from Ethiopia.

We are so excited about God's plan. God has called Brian and Amy to pursue adoption. He showed them the country
they were to go to and He will soon show them the children He has already planned to bring to their family.

Please pray for them - for the journey that can be long - for their preparations - for their finances.
In the future we will be sharing ways that you can be a part of helping with the enormous cost of completing the adoption.

If you want to follow their journey visit them at brianseay.wordpress.com or at blessingsoverseays.wordpress.com

Seay Family Christmas Spectacular

2008-01-08T20:26:00.000-06:00

Every year during the Christmas holidays the whole Seay family gets together. It is always an amazing time. 15 cousins form the Cousins Club and they absolutely love getting to spend 3 days playing together.

We feed 26 people 3 meals a day with a couple of snacks thrown in and we sleep people all over the house.

This year Pop-Pop put on a big fireworks show. We built a bonfire and made s'mores.

The cousins put on the Cousins Showcase - sharing their talents with the family. What an evening - ballet, piano, singing, song writing, running cheetahs, magic shows and hip-hop. What an amazing bunch of kids.

But.. one thing we shared this year was a particularly violent strain of the flu and strep. It started with one or two and within 3 days almost half of our family was sick.

We all had a great time together but we could rename the whole event as the Seay Family Christmas Epidemic. Perhaps next year flu shots will be required to attend:)

Walk for Hope

2007-12-11T16:02:00.000-06:00

If you have read my previous blog (What can you do with $50) then you know that my family are all working on projects to raise money for the Child Survival Project with Compassion International.

My Tennessee kids did a Walk for Hope this past Saturday. My son, Brian; his wife, Amy; and their four children (ages 4-10) walked 30 miles in their neighborhood. They enlisted pledges and when the day was done they had raised $850. How awesome is that!

When their legs got tired they reminded themselves of the plight of children in Ethiopia and they were easily refreshed. I am so proud of my kids and all that they are doing to help their own children get a glimpse of the needs of children in this world.

Another one of our kids will be selling cookbooks soon as a part of their project. I will keep you posted of the progress with this project.

You can read about the Walk for Hope on Brian's blog - brianseay.wordpress.com. I will also keep you informed of the cookbook project. All of the money raised will go directly to the Child Survival Project in Ethiopia.

What can you do with a 50 dollar bill?

2007-12-09T21:09:00.000-06:00

We are becoming increasingly aware of the need for us to give away more than we do - give to the poor, the homeless, single mothers, hurting children, and so on. The list never ends. There are so many needs in this world and so few people who feel drawn to share out of their own bounty to make a difference.

When I hear stats of how much we spend on makeup or junk food or eating out, I am embarrassed for our nation. We could skip a few nights a month eating out and save that money to help Living Water dig a well for a community who has no available clean water.

We could give $30 per month to sponsor a Compassion Child.

There are times that our hearts are touched but we seldom act upon that feeling. I want to commit to find ways to "Give Myself Away" and to be an example to others. This Christmas we are giving a unique gift to our grandkids. Each family of grandkids will receive $50. The $50 is "seed money". They are to find ways to "plant" the seed with the goal of multiplying that money. At our family Christmas they will bring the money they have raised and together we will donate the money to sponsor Child Survival Project through Compassion International. I will be posting more on the details of this project soon. I will let you know what the kids are doing to raise money.

My prayer is that we will set the example for our grandchildren to be aware of how blessed we are and the reality of the needs of children around the world and that we can all make a difference.

37 Years!

2007-11-28T22:49:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we celebrated our 37th anniversary. I am so blessed by that. It helps to have a husband like mine who loves the Lord with all of his heart and who has loved me, cared for me, provided for me and protected me for 2/3 of my lifetime. I love this stage of marriage - there is very little disagreement - there is mostly reading each other's mind - completing each other's sentences - knowing what makes each other smile and being comfortable just hanging out together in the quiet. I love my life and I thank God everyday for the husband he has given me and the family that followed.
If you are married, take a moment to thank God for what He has given you and know that a good marriage is a result of hard work, sacrifice, forgiveness and most of a commitment to Christ.

I'm Back!

2007-11-19T21:18:00.001-06:00

We recently returned from a 10 day trip to Greece and Turkey where we visited ancient sites in cities where Paul preached. It was an amazing trip. There were 23 of us and we enjoyed one another and had fun together.

I felt that the trip gave me insight into the challenges that Paul faced as he said "Yes" to the Macedonian call and entered a region of pagan people. These people were steeped in Greek mythology and the worship of gods and godesses such as Artemis, Zeus, Diana and many, many more. Even today many of these people speak of Greek mythology as if those events actually happened.

It was moving to stand in Phillipi and think of how Paul wrote to them and told them how thankful he was for them everytime they came to mind.

And then we stood among the ruins of Miletus where Paul met with the elders of the church in Ephesus to give them his final farewell before leaving for Jerusalem.

Ephesus was amazing. We sat in the ruins of the large theatre that seated 25,000 people, where centuries ago Christians were thrown to the lions and we considered the church at Ephesus and the work that Paul had done there and then we worshipped our living God together.

Toward the end of our trip we visited the Island of Patmos where John received The Revelation. It was incredibly moving to enter the cave where it is believed that John received the vision from God.

The trip continually took us back to scripture and we found a kind of completion as we read the Word standing in the same places where Paul preached the gospel.

A highlight for me was standing on the Acropolis in Athens and hearing Ed read the passage in Acts where Paul was preaching to the philosophers on Mars Hill. As Ed read this passage many people gathered and stood and listened to the reading of God's Word and then Ed prayed the most anointed prayer - proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in a place where a majority of people are Muslim.

I am thankful for our country and our freedom to worship. I am thankful for my home and family - for my car and for my clothes and the many other abundant blessings that we so take for granted. Visiting other countries will cause you to remember that we are a blessed people.

Have a blessed day of giving thanks!

Life is Precious!

2007-10-27T21:35:00.000-05:00

There are some days that I am blessed to be taken back to the important things in life. This week I had one of those days.
I met with a client who thought that aborting her baby was the only option she had. She was living a life of desperation and sadness.

We talked and she cried. I got the opportunity to show her the baby inside of her via ultrasound. There was no manipulation - no magic answers - no problems solved. There was only life - a tiny baby - doing somersaults inside the safety of its mother's womb - a beating heart that in reality is smaller than the eraser on a pencil.

These are the things that are really important - the miracle of a life created - a life that only God can create.

This young woman left with a resolve to give life to the baby inside of her. She did not leave with a plan for her future. She knew that survival would only be possible one day at a time.

We will be there for her. We will help her determine how to relieve some of the issues that have caused the desperation in her life.

Please remember these young women - they need love - they need Jesus - they need a community that will surround them and encourage them to become the woman God has designed them to be.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye?

2007-10-13T13:36:00.001-05:00

I need to start this by saying that if you are not already praying for your child’s future spouse, you need to begin now. There is no greater reward than spending years praying for God’s perfect choice of a mate for your child and then seeing that become a reality. God is big enough to bring your child and HIS choice of a mate together regardless of any circumstances – dating or no dating! I am four down and one more to go!

What good comes from dating? Teenage/High School relationships are taken way too seriously and there is now, seemingly, an automatic expectation for sex. Remember, I see teenage girls everyday and I hear way too much. I used to ask girls if they were single - meaning "not married". I have learned that single now means "I am not currently in a relationship". This may seem trivial but it is no longer okay with girls to be "single". I found this to be an important new trend in the teenage culture. When I ask girls if they are single they are almost always offended and quickly respond as if their very existence depends on that answer.

I spend time talking to these girls about learning to love and respect themselves and understanding that they do not NEED a relationship. The culture today tells them they are a “nobody” unless they have a boyfriend. What they need is God!

Because most dating now includes an expectation to have sex, there is less thought given to the decision of whether a teen will have sex with someone. Sex is casual for these kids. They don't even have to have a "relationship" to have sex with someone. They will have sex with "friends".

What all this means is that the culture has changed since my older kids started dating. Sex is casual, free, and found in many different settings - relationships, friends, groups, parties. Our teenagers today have lost all modesty - absolutely no inhibitions. They will have sex just about any place.

I’m sure this is way more info than you really wanted. But I believe that we have to begin to come face to face with reality and what the world is saying to our kids.

Christian kids are just as likely now to have sex than a non-Christian. The stats are pretty scary – there is virtually no difference between Christian and non-Christians as they make decisions to become involved in sexual activity. This does not just mean sexual intercourse. Oral sex is rampant now and has even been seen in kids as young as fourth grade. This is happening with younger kids because they are exposed to sex so much earlier.

I don’t mean to scare you but it is time to not only teach our kids the truth – the details – but more importantly, we must shepherd our kids hearts toward God so they will have hearts that will help them make decisions that are God-honoring.

We cannot protect our kids forever but we can prepare them for what they will face in the world.

I believe that we may have to take extreme measures to protect our kids and eliminating traditional dating may be one of those measures.
I loved watching my kids in their teenage years hang out with groups of friends. They had so much fun together and they learned a lot about male/female dynamics and relationship issues without the pressures and temptations of being alone. Alone is no longer okay. I’m not sure it ever was okay.

I use to tell my kids when confronted with questions about their curfew – “nothing good happens after midnight!”. That still holds true today but it probably can be taken a step further to say “there is little good that happens when you are alone”.

I am praying for you Moms as you find ways to prepare your kids for these issues without taking away the fact that sex is a gift from God for marriage.

Happy Birthday, Jess!

2007-10-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

My baby is 19 today! As for most moms, this creates a moment of pause. Can it be that so many years have passed so quickly? I know that many moms of small children tire of hearing some of us older moms telling them to enjoy the moment because their children will be grown before they know it. But it is so true!

This morning I am wondering how it is possible that the years have passed so quickly and I don't feel a day older (okay, maybe a day or two). This morning I am not doing the traditional french toast breakfast, instead I am calling her at college before she goes to her 8 a.m. class.

Jess came to us late on a Saturday night January 14, 1989. She was 3 months old and it didn't take long for all of us to fall in love with her. She was with us until Oct. 16 (a week after her first birthday) and then because of legal issues she left us for 8 months. It was the worst and longest time for our whole family. Together we prayed for this child - we committed to protect her and love her as long as God would allow - we stood together at court hearings every month for 8 months and we stopped everything in our lives when we were told that we could have visits with her. For this child we prayed!

God heard our prayer and allowed us to be the ones to open our family to her - to love her - to see Him work out a special plan for her - to make her our daughter forever!

Today she is 19 - she is a college freshman - she loves the Lord and she loves her family - she is growing a heart that has a passion for children and for people who are hurting.

Today I thank God for the woman that she is becoming and for grafting her into our family.

We love you Jess!

Happy Birthday!

How to Know and Do God's Will

2007-09-25T05:20:00.000-05:00

When I am confronted with decisions, my tendency is to analyze, list the pros and cons, and determine the most logical answer to the problem. I keep a note on my computer monitor that says "I need God!" This is to remind me that I need to go to my God and seek His desires for me instead of attempting to problem-solve my way through the issues.
Recently my husband preached a very practical sermon on this subject. I am including a simple summary from the Word.

Romans 12:1-2
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• Do this – offer ourselves as living sacrifices as an act of worship
• Don’t do this – conform to the world and what it tells you to do
• Instead… be willing to allow God to renew your mind
• Then… you will be able to discern God’s will for your life

Temperaments, Part 7: All Strengths and No Weaknesses?

2007-09-19T22:33:00.000-05:00

Cholerics have an answer for everything – therefore, they can dismiss any hint of a weakness by blaming it on others, circumstances, the weather, etc. Most Cholerics really believe that they are all strengths and no weaknesses.

• Cholerics are often work-aholics. They don’t like to relax. They will never be lazy. This affects marriages and children as well as friends and co-workers.
• Cholerics are only comfortable when they are in charge. They must learn to step back and relax when someone else is leading.
• Cholerics have a tendency to be arrogant – looking down on the “dummies”. The don’t tolerate incompetence and inefficiency.
• Cholerics are great manipulators. They have a way of getting people to do things without them knowing what happened.
• Cholerics are impatient and don’t handle people well.
• Cholerics speak their mind. Because they think so quickly and they know what is right, they will say what comes to mind without a thought of how it will affect others.
• Cholerics love controversy and arguments, thus stirring up trouble.
• Cholerics have difficulty admitting wrong and apologizing.

*If only the Powerful Choleric would open his mind to examine his weaknesses and admit he had a few, he could become the perfect person he thinks he is.
*(from Personality Plus by Florence Littauer)

2007-09-13T21:35:00.000-05:00

Temperaments, Part 6: The Powerful Choleric

*Oh, how this world needs Powerful Cholerics!

The firm control when others are losing theirs.
The cut of decision for foggy minds.
The grip of leadership to head us to the good.
The willingness to take a chance in a doubtful situation.
The confidence to hold true in the face of ridicule.
The independence to stand alone and be counted.
The road map to life when we’ve gone astray.
The urge to “take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, end them.”

I am sure that after you read the above, you immediately had someone in mind that fits the description. Cholerics are known – they are not afraid to be “out there”. They are always reaching and succeeding.

*“While Sanguines are talking and Melancholies are thinking, Cholerics are achieving.”

Cholerics are often outgoing and optimistic. They communicate openly with people and you will always know where they stand.

They will crusade for injustice – with a compulsiveness to make things right.

They are not afraid of opposition. They can stand their ground.
They exude confidence.

Proverbs 11:14 TLB
Without leadership, a nation is in trouble, but with good counselors there is safety.

*(from Personality Plus by Florence Littauer)

Temperaments, Part 5: Cheer Up the Melancholy

2007-09-06T04:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay in getting back to Temperaments. - Maybe because it’s time to talk about the weaknesses of the Melancholy (that would be me).

• Melancholies have a hard time relaxing and having fun. They are often the ones in a large group that will leave the room when it’s time for a game or an icebreaker. But, if you put a few melancholies together in a group they will eventually revel in the fact that they have found someone who really understands them. They tend to feel that they are “one of a kind” creating a sense of isolation.

• Melancholies are prone to depression. They take life too seriously and they must realize that no one likes to be around gloomy people.

• Melancholies often take things too seriously. Because they are careful with their words, they assume that everyone else is also. So when the choleric speaks his mind or the sanguine blurts out their feelings, the melancholy reads much into these comments and finds a deep, hidden meaning. Developing an understanding of the other temperaments will help a melancholy. They will realize that the sanguine and the choleric are not out to get them.

• Melancholies don’t easily forget. I can recall trivial incidents in my childhood years that were traumatizing to me – elementary teachers who looked at me angrily – friends who appeared to be whispering about me- hasty words that cut straight to my heart. This can take it’s toll on a marriage.

• Melancholies often struggle with low self-esteem. Because of their need for perfection any criticism given to them leaves them reeling and insecure. We allow others to contribute to the opinions we have of ourselves.

• Melancholies can be their own worst enemy. Again, their need for perfection will keep them from taking on tasks or projects because they fear that they won’t do it perfectly.

• Melancholies have unrealistic expectations of themselves and others. This will result in a critical spirit that can destroy relationships.

• Melancholies need to relax and realize that not everything in life is perfect.

I suppose I went overboard on the weaknesses of the Melancholy because I am one. I have struggled with all of these things, but Praise God, because of the work that He has done in my life I am learning to rest in Him.

Remember, our goal as a child of God, is not simply to understand our strengths and weaknesses, it is to allow the Holy Spirit to TRANSFORM our temperaments – making us more like Christ every day.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world [the flesh], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Robbie Seay Band

2007-08-30T09:52:00.000-05:00

When I'm feeling really proud I like to say that without me there would be no Robbie Seay Band - well technically there would be no Robbie Seay - I can't take credit for Dan and Ryan.
Not meaning to sound cheesy, but, this morning, after enjoying three straight days of RSB concerts, I have to say that it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with God. Their spiritual journey expressed through the new album - Give Yourself Away - is amazing and the talent and giftedness that God has poured out on these guys is evident.
Yes, I am proud and I often call myself the "obnoxious mom". But more than anything I pray that God will lead these guys exactly where He wants them - that the dreams that we have for Robbie and the guys would match the plan that God has and that in all of this God would be glorified and people would be pointed toward Jesus.
I had to post the picture I took at the KSBJ Free Concert in the Woodlands Tuesday night. It was so cool to see the sun come out and a rainbow appear over the stage. I was so amazed at the hundreds of people who came out that night and sat in the rain for at least an hour and still stayed for the whole concert. I loved watching people worshipping God with no inhibition. It was a sweet time!

What a day!

2007-08-29T07:44:00.000-05:00

Today was a big day for us. We took our "baby girl" to college. Granted it's only a little more than an hour away and she is not really a baby, but for us this is huge. We know that God gave Jess to us to nurture - to help her grow in her walk with Christ and then to ultimatley "launch" her so that she could fully become what God wants her to be. She has been a special gift to us and now after 36 years of parenting we seem to be ALMOST done.
I am so proud of Jess. She has worked hard to overcome obstacles in her life. She loves the Lord and truly desires to serve Him. She has a sweet and tender heart. I can't wait to see what God has for her.
Please pray for her as she starts this exciting college adventure.
I love you, Jess!
Check out her blog at seay-pictureperfect.blogspot.com