Swimsuit Season

Much to my dismay, swimsuit season is upon us. I walked through Target the other day and saw racks and racks of bikinis on display. Anything modest in the bunch? Nope.

Sad to say, it is difficult to find a swimsuit that covers adequately if you are a girl. I even have a hard time finding one piece swimsuits for Taylor. Crazy how young you can be and have our culture permeate your clothing choices. It's not even easy to find a shirt for Taylor Joy that isn't spaghetti straps these days.

There's an awesome link on the right side of this blog, called Modesty Survey under "Promote Modesty" in the Things I Do. It's a project of the REBELution, which was started by Brett and Alex Harris (Josh Harris' brothers...of Sovereign Grace...what an amazing family!). Anyway, this is a study that surveyed 1600+ guys about modesty and specific articles of clothing that women wear, including comments about those articles of clothing.

I went there before I purchased my swimsuit and browsed through what these men had to say about swimsuits in particular. I highly recommend reading the results of these before you head out to purchase your new swimsuit so that we can be mindful of the opposite sex this summer. They will appreciate our thoughtfulness too!

In case you are having a hard time finding a modest swimsuit like I was, check out these websites:

Lime Ricki
Shade Clothing
Academy (has lots of skirts you can wear as bottoms. I think the one I bought is actually a tennis skirt. I would recommend going there.)

Also, here's a series of great articles by C.J. Mahaney about modesty and what it says about the attitude of our hearts. I highly recommend reading these articles or listening to this sermon.

Anyway, I thought it might be a nice reminder to some of you to consider our brothers when we are making our summer clothing choices, especially swimsuits. Happy shopping and swimming! We are so excited about heading out to the pool!

Girly Lapdesks

I made these sweet little lapdesks for Taylor Joy and one of her friends. They were completely simple and easy to make.

1. First, Michael's carries these and often puts them on sale. I think I got these for $5 each.

2. Then, grab some cute coordinating scrapbook paper and stickers that are flat (no 3D) and some Sharpies.

3. Get creative writing the name and placing all your decorations on the lapdesk.

4. Go to town with Modge Podge. I used matte and sponged it on so it wouldn't get that streaky look to it.

Makes a great gift for someone else or for your own children. Taylor loves to use it around the house and it keeps her from having to sit at the table to color or use her markers. Beckett is actually past the point of eating crayons and is beginning to enjoy coloring so I may have to make one for him next.

Having your kids decorate their own isn't a bad idea if they are older. Then, they can take pride in what they have made and get to creating more fun stuff on it!

Preggo Update

It's been awhile and this little baby has decided to have a growth spurt and to become wildly active. Just at 26 weeks and I am enjoying the pregnancy and have been for the past few weeks.

A little more energy, a possibility that I won't have to take a nap is a wonderful thing. I've been crafting, redecorating, painting and thinking of all sorts of home improvement and decor projects that I want to undertake. Maybe this extra energy splurge is a nesting instinct that has taken over my body. I don't know.

I have also been thinking about stocking my freezer with meals like the Money-Saving Mom once I get a little closer to my due date. I'm hoping that I will only have to go to the store every 2 weeks after the baby is born. I can always send Allen if we need bananas (a staple in our home) or milk in between.

So, here's a question: Do you have an amazing meal that translates well in the freezer? If so, please let me know! Post a comment or email it to me. I want to make sure it will freeze and cook well.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Picture Update

Here are lots of pictures from the past few weeks that I have been meaning to post, including: a circus outing, hanging with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Cate when they came into town, Easter festivities, among others like bath time.

Taylor Joy has become quite the photographer these days and she LOVES doing it. She took all the pictures in the Ryan/Cate segment. It's actually nice that she can take them for us! Anyway, enjoy! I'm working on a preggo update as well.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Easter Reflections/Ideas

I know this is late coming and it's because Easter caught me a bit off guard this year. Just as we took the month of December to do our Advent activities and reflected on the birth of Jesus and what His coming into the world means for us, I wanted to spend a good part of this week reflecting on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and what that means for us as believers.

I have recommended it before, but will do so again, Noel Piper's Treasuring God in Our Traditions has some great ideas for making Easter meaningful for both you and your children. For the past two years we have used her idea for the Easter Mountain and Taylor seemed to understand it more this year.

I wasn't able to implement this idea this year, but will definitely do it next year...Lent candles. It is the same idea that's behind the Advent candles but you snuff out a candle each week during Lent. Since we have very young children I would probably condense the time period and make it shorter. On Easter Sunday, all the candles are lit to represent the resurrection of our Lord, the Light of the world! I think this is a great idea as well.

Tomorrow we will be making the traditional Resurrection Buns. This will be a first for me, so I hope they turn out. Taylor Joy and I will be making them in the morning with me explaining each step to her and how it symbolizes the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then we get to eat the yummy goodness! So fun!

Also, though we've never really participated in Easter egg hunts, a few families from our church decided to do one this year that would be particularly meaningful. In addition to hiding candy-filled eggs, Resurrection Eggs will also be hidden. After the hunt is over, we will go through each egg in order and explain the real story of Easter to our children. We plan to paint crosses and have a picnic lunch as well. I am excited to share the day with other precious families in our body. I just pray it doesn't rain!

I'll leave you with a meditation from my hubby:


In preparation for this weekend’s worship service, I would encourage you to consider the gravity of the event we remember today and the significance it holds for you and me. Listen to Matthew’s description:

“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up…So, when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified” (Matt. 27:15-18, 24-26).

What a beautiful, terrible, irony. The sinless Son of God traded for the sinful Barabbas, accused of rebellion and murder. Instead of desiring justice for a known criminal, the crowd persuaded Pilate to cater to their rebellion against God and murder Jesus.

This event takes on further signifance when you understand that in Hebrew, “Barabbas” means, “son of daddy.” On Good Friday, Jesus, the sinless Son of God was crucified instead of you and me - sinful sons and daughters of sinful daddies. Truly did Isaiah prophesy: “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:5-6).

Consider the Great Exchange tonight and praise God for sending his Son to assume your guilt and your punishment.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

This is too funny...

Oh, Beckett...

Oh, do I have a story to tell. For those who are mothers of boys this kind of stuff probably happens everyday, and although I have had many incidents, this was probably the most frightening. It opened my eyes to the kinds of things that may be happening in my life for the next 17 years or so.

As I was driving to H-E-B to do some grocery shopping, ironically, I was talking to my friend Janette (who lives in NC) and giving her all the necessary updates on my life, including our dear Beckett and what he has been up to. I told her that he has changed from this sweet, cuddly, content baby into a WILD man lately. He is as curious as ever, loud, angry if he doesn't get what he wants, he babbles constantly, he never sits still...and I thought he would be my easy child! He is still VERY sweet and may even cuddle you, but you would have to catch him sitting still, which is rare.

Anyway, we get off the phone and I go in to do my shopping, with both kids in tow. I am pretty much done with no major breakdowns and I head for the checkout. I begin to unload my items, pleased with the how pleasant this trip has been...no one needed to potty right in the middle of shopping, no one threw a fit when there weren't any tortillas for sampling and the chips didn't even get crushed by one of my kids. Success! Right? Wrong!

I turn around to grab some more items and I see Beckett with the Jet-Dry tipped back as he is busy "sampling" it. I pretty much freaked out. I don't know if I made any loud noises but if I did it was one of absolute horror. I grabbed the bottle from him, after which he began licking his lips to get the last of it, I suppose. I quickly turned it over and it said to drink water if ingested.

Coaching myself to begin thinking clearly, I walked straight over to the aisle where there were some sippy cups and grabbed one and then back to the register where there were cold drinks and grabbed a bottle of water. I poured the water into the sippy cup and intently watched as my little boy drank it. He seemed okay. I breathed. The lady behind the counter breathed.

My sister called at the very moment all this was happening and I told her (probably very frantically) to look up Cascade Clean Rinse and see what I need to do. She called back right after that and said I did the right thing. If he was nauseated to take him to the doctor.

Hours later I was still watching him and he was fine. He was laughing, playing, fussing, getting into everything just like normal.

So...the moral of this story is: Boys are dangerous. Beckett is one of these. I CANNOT take my eyes off this baby because he is into EVERYTHING. And that Cascade needs to get protective seals for their products. So not cool.

First Service

March 29th, 2009 || Posted by Allen Duty

We had our very first worship service last night, and it was an amazing time. I’m so thankful for the way that God has brought such a diverse and committed group of people together to achieve his own purposes. As I stood back and watched everyone working to get the building ready for worship, I was grateful for all the different passions and talents that were represented in our group. New Life has everything from great cooks to great administrators, and I’m thankful to God for bringing each person to our church.

I was also blessed by the support we received from those who are members of Living Hope and Living Hope - Bryan. Some came last night just to encourage and bless us, such as our longtime friends, the VandeVanters. It meant so much to me to be able to look out and see people who are praying for us and who want to see God do great things.

Ladies, I certainly hope you were both challenged and encouraged by the message last night. I have gotten to know so many of you during my years in College Station, and Kendra and I have benefitted tremendously from knowing you. I pray that God would continue to teach you to cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit, and that you would renew your commitment to being an amazing example to your husband (if you are married) and the younger women around you. Men, encourage your wives and the younger women around you by considering them in view of God’s standards. Praise the “imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” instead of only praising external beauty, and help us raise the standard to biblical womanhood.

Next week, we’ll consider 1 Peter 3:7. Men, let’s be ready to hear how God would speak to us about living with our wives in an understanding way.

Launching New Life

March 24th, 2009 || Posted by Allen Duty

After months of praying, fasting, hoping, and planning, New Life will have its first worship service Saturday night at 5 p.m. For those who have been a part of the core group for some time now, excitement is mixed with reservation.

Did we make the right decisions? Did we hear clearly from God? Are we prepared to faithfully care for those God brings to us?

To all those questions, I would simply answer that God has proven, once again, that he is sovereign and that he is faithful. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps,” and Psalm 100:5 declares, “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

It is greatly encouraging to know we serve a God whose plans we cannot spoil and who is faithful to his perfect will. New Life would have looked entirely different if it would have been planted in August or September or December. But God has determined to use those he has brought and those he will bring this March, along with all of our different callings, gifts, and passions, to shape New Life into the local church he desires.

Are we ready for Saturday? Of course not. We are still in the process of determining how God desires us to be the tangible expression of his body in College Station, Texas. What we do know is that God has made it clear through what he has done that he desires to do great things in and through New Life. We hope that God will move in your heart to join him and us where he is at work.

*Check out our new website: New Life* (more functionality to follow...)

Submission to Masters

Allen's second part of submission in 1 Peter. This part is about submission to masters, such as a boss or a professor, depending on what stage of life you're in. Next week, wives! Submission to our husbands!

Listen here.

1 Peter 2:18-25

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (ESV)

Spring Break

Ahhh...in some senses that is relief that it's over. In some senses that is disappointment that it's over.

It was a wonderful week. It is incredibly wonderful to be reunited with my husband.

He went to Beaumont to do Hurricane Ike relief building projects and I went to Dallas to have fun with family.

He rebuilt a lady's house. I went shopping.

He spend hours everyday working. I went to see Disney on Ice.

You can see how this is going.

Anyhow, all that to say, I am SO glad to have my husband back. I'm so glad to be back in my house.

I am SO SO THANKFUL for the wonderful people who worked on our house while we were gone. They dry-walled, taped, floated and textured the new addition to our home while we were gone! Crazy thoughtful and sweet of them. It looks wonderful. And that actually made it sound like I know what I'm talking about, didn't it?

All I know is that now it's time to go pick out some paint colors! Yippee! The thought of decorating and choosing colors and fabrics just excites me to no end.

Well, on that note, I have much to do. I'll leave you with some pictures from the week:

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Submission to Government

Check out Allen's newest sermon in our series (at LHBC) Practical Grace, going through the book of 1 Peter.

The passage he covered was 1 Peter 2:13-17. I was thoroughly captivated by what the Lord spoke through Allen and highly recommend listening to his sermon.

You can find it here.

New Life starts next weekend! Please join us! I'll post more info as we get it. The website should be up soon!

Taylor Joyisms

These are some Taylor Joyisms from awhile ago to quite recently. It's hard to keep track of all the funny things she says, they are pretty much a constant thing around here. I'm not kidding when I say that she is THE funniest person I know. Alright, here we go:

Mommy, you're amazing!

(random, unprompted while we were both working in our respective kitchens).

Mommy, you look like a treasure.

I often tell her that she is a treasure to me. I guess that's where she got that from. Sweet sweet girl. They do pick up EVERYTHING. A good and bad thing (for some people or if you don't watch it!)

Mommy, I feel sick.

(takes my hand and puts it on her forehead).

Can you tell me if my feelings are hurt?

Taylor Joy: Daddy, I don't want to go to the dentist.
Allen: Well, most people don't like the dentist, Taylor Joy.
TJ: I don't like the dentist. And Jesus doesn't like the dentist either.


TJ: My bottom hurts.
A: What's the matter with your bottom?
TJ: Oh, it's just a alligator in my pants. (very nonchalant)


TJ: Mommy, is the new baby in your tummy?
Mommy: Yes.
TJ: I don't want the new baby to be in there. I want the new baby OUT OUT OUT! I want to hold her and tickle her.
(yes, "her"...we still don't know the gender but Taylor and I both tend to say "she" and "her")

I'm going to eat you up like a Mommy taco!

(sometimes we roll her up in a blanket and pretend we're eating a Taylor taco...)


We were praying one day and she said,

"and I pray that they come to the potty. No not the potty! The party!"

Today we walked outside and I said, "ooh it's foggy out here." When we got back into the car from the gym she said, "Mommy, is it still froggy?"

She's a hoot.

So True...

I ripped this from GirlTalk, an awesome blog I follow...

The woman who wrote to the Washington Post advice columnist, Carolyn Hax, wanted to know why her friend, a new mom, no longer had time for her. Ms. Hax's response--though not too gracious--was dead-on-accurate in its portrayal of the life of a mom with young kids:

“When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.

It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.

It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything -- language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.

Or, as Ms. Hax puts it, “It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.”

I couldn't word it any better than that. I always aim to be in the car 30 minutes before we would actually need to leave to get somewhere and "somehow" we always end up in the car right on time. Gee, could it be those shoes that got lost though she JUST had them in her hand or that poopy diaper I had to change last minute, or the diaper bag that needs constant refilling...

Hmmm...what will my world look like with 3 children who are 3 and under?

Changes

Where do I even begin?

Lots of changes are occurring around here.

New baby coming in July.

New car...I need to post a picture of my hot mama minivan for those who have been asking.

New addition to our home (for baby's room now)...and later for us (a small study).

And now...a new job for Allen = NEW season of life for us!

Earlier this year, Allen was nominated to become the teaching elder (aka Pastor) of New Life. And now, several months after the whole interviewing process, it's official.

I can't tell you what relief it feels...It's relief that we are now part of a group of people who we have been praying for and who our hearts have been with for a long time now. We are excited and looking forward to this new stage in our lives.

We invite you to join us at New Life Baptist Church. The first church service is at 5 pm on Saturday, March 28th at Living Hope. The fellowship meal will be immediately following. It would be our pleasure to have you join our body of believers and see what living in community is all about.

Until then, please pray for Allen. With the triple role of Youth Pastor, College Pastor and Teaching Pastor, his life, and consequently our lives, may be a little crazy for the next few months. But we are up for the challenge! Thanks for those of you who have been praying for us. I just thought it might be time to update the rest of you on all the changes occurring around the Duty home. We are blessed to be going through these changes with many of you!

Sew Fun!

We had a little sewing party with some precious girls on Friday and it was truly SEW fun!

I thought I would be showing these girls how to make blankets, but much to my surprise, they had their acts together and knew much of what to do already! One girl even made a cute little Bible holder!

We all decided that there would be no more buying baby gifts when making them was this easy! So, those of you with babies due, sorry if you see these pictures and then aren't surprised when these blankets are gifted to you, but I have to post these pictures and show off our cute blankets!



Whitney hard at work...


Jessica hard at work...


Katherine's cute Winnie the Pooh blanket


Here is Jessica with her cute girly blanket!


Whitney and her fancy appliqued blanket

What a fun day!

Fire Station Field Trip

This was our second field trip to the Fire Station and may I say, MUCH more successful than the last one?

While last time Taylor Joy actually DESPISED being there, this time she did NOT want to leave! Crazy how a little time changes things!

We went with my MOPS group last week and the kids had so much fun!

Check out the pictures:


Taylor Joy and Beckett on the ambulance (she LOVES her little brother...perhaps a bit much at times! But I'm so thankful it's this and not the other way around!)


On the back of the fire truck...


Crazy Taylor Joy!


Taylor Joy and a friendly fireman...


Precious Beckett with his hat and badge...cutest fireman ever!

Moving on Out!

Yep, this baby is moving on outward! A smallish bump has appeared overnight on my tummy and people are beginning to notice.

I used to care that at this point in my pregnancy people who didn't know I was pregnant would just think I was chubby. I really couldn't care less about that anymore.

I am enjoying the movement and kicks I am feeling from this one when I finally slow down enough to feel them. It's usually at night when I am going to bed or when I wake up in the middle of the night. What a sweet, subtle reminder of the precious life within me.

We heard the heartbeat last week at the doctor and it was 150 bpm. Go ahead and guess among yourselves what we are having. We'll find out July 31st (give or take) when he or she pops out. What a blessed surprise that will be!

I could go on about the way the Lord is forming this precious baby in my womb and what a miracle it is (yes, it's amazing even the third time around) and I will be in awe of the Lord's majesty every time a sweet baby is growing within me.

At the same time the Lord is showing me what worth He has placed on my life when at times I feel inadequate or perhaps lacking confidence in myself. Reading this sweet psalm and meditating on truth allow me to see that my confidence is in the Lord, in who He wonderfully knitted me to be in the image of Himself and in the finished work of Christ alone. What more could I desire to put my confidence in! In Christ alone my hope is found and not in the world, in its traditions or way of thinking.

I encourage you: read this psalm, meditate on the meaning of it and allow the Lord to encourage your heart with it. He made you just as He desired, wonderfully. Be confident in Him and allow Him to use the body and soul He gave you for His service and His kingdom. You are uniquely gifted by God and useful just as you are to bring Him glory!

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:13-17

Happy Heart Day!

Photoshop Fabulous

So, lately I've been loving Photoshop and all these beautiful digital scrapbooking resources that I have stumbled upon. Maybe one day I'll actually make my very own digital scrapbook, but until then I've had fun making invitations, thank you cards, holiday cards and the calendars I gave to our families this year. They are so fun!

Since I'm a newbie to both Photoshop and digital scrapbooking, I have to know from the experts, are there any sites I should check out and any tips you can give me?

Here are the sites I've been using:

Two Peas in a Bucket
Shabby Princess
Kay Miller Designs
Scrapgirls

I have to say, between just printing these off my computer after designing them and my Cricut machine (thanks Ashley!), I don't think I'll ever buy a $4 greeting card again! That's got to be a savings of at LEAST $100 a year! AND they are personalized, making them much more special!

Saving money is FUN!