Happy Birthday to my only brother!!!!

John Cobb!  AKA Johnny Corn Cobb!  AKA Uncle John!
You have many names!  I am so lucky to have gotten to have you as my brother!  Growing up we sure did have our love hate relationship!  It was intense!  But on the days we loved each other, we really did!  We would have Nerf Gun wars, play with hot wheel cars and Legos!  We would have world class water gun fights that would start with water guns and lead to the hose!  We stuck together!  When we would fight, we would FIGHT!  You would get so mad at me that you would take rope and tie the doors together so  I could not get out of my room!  You loved to watch MacGyver and all things that he did you wanted to try and be like him.  We grew up, I went one way you went another.  But this past year we did something that most of our friends have yet to do and that was allow our dad to go.  That was hard but I know it brought us closer.  I’m grateful you were there to hold us together.  My kids are pretty darn lucky to have you for an uncle too!

What a Difference One Year Can Make!

Tonight was Lily’s piano recital.  It was hard!  I’m not going to lie about that!  As I look back to a little over a year ago and she had her piano recital.  Life was different!  I had taken 6 out of 7 kids to the piano recital ALONE!!!!  Yes, it was CRAZY!!!!  I was thankful for Papa’s help with one of the boys who could not sit still!  I was not going to miss Lily’s first piano recital and I am grateful that I stood up, braved it and went with 6 children under the age of 9!

 Last year Skyping Grandpa Jay

7 Children Under the age of 9 ready ON TIME for church!

This year!!

We Skyped my dad, who was in the hospital.  He had payed for her lessons all year long and was unable to make it out from Iowa to see her.  He was weak but I know he was blessed by her music!  My dad is now gone!  That was hard this year not getting to share in the joy with him!  I know he delighted in the music from heaven but not the same as the physical presences via technology. 🙂  You see piano runs deep in my family.

 Grandpa Cobb playing the piano!

Cousins!

My grandfather Cobb played the piano until his dying day!  He was 94 and would go and bless other’s that were YOUNGER than him in the nursing homes, assisted living and senior living centers across central Iowa!  If there was a piano he played it!  I then in turn started piano when I was in second grade.  I am very hard on myself and don’t feel as though I play well!  So, a few years back when we were at my mom’s house, Lily was playing on my old piano.  She had no music but had an ear for the sound!  I had several people encourage me to get her involved in music.  So, when the opportunity arose Lily started taking piano from Carolyn Patty!  The two of them are two peas in a pod!  At this years recital instead of 6 kids to be accountable for  I had my three kids sitting on my lap or near me, my ex and his significant other where there as well.  It was different.

A Life Well Lived!

A life well lived!  Grandma Shaefer passed away from her earthly home to her heavenly home on Saturday May 11, 2013.  She was Josh’s maternal Grandma.  I can recall the first time I met her.  Josh was quite nervous because it was very important to him that I had her stamp of approval.  I passed.  I remember arriving to her home and sitting in her blue chair, her home was very clean and she was proud of that.  She also was very proud of her St. Louis Cardinals!  She always watched them faithfully!  Win or loose!  I don’t follow baseball but I am quite sure that she was able to see them go to the World Serious a time or too.  She was very thrifty but she was very giving.  She gave all she had.  She gave of her time to others and of her money.  She loved without regrets.  She lived life!  She served others well.  I can remember many times she would come out and “save” me from my piles and piles of laundry that I had.  She always would start her day with the newspaper and a cup of coffee.  She loved well and her family knew that they were the most important thing to her.  I think my favorite meal that Grandma cooked would be TACO’S!!!!  It was always extra special when we were able to order pizza from Saylor’s.  Especially when we were visiting from Iowa! I know that Grandma is rejoicing at being reunited with her beloved husband, Pat.  Her siblings, Mike and her beloved flea bags as she called the dogs!  She loved them along with Lily’s beloved cat “Angel”!  I am sure her and my grandmother Cobb are catching up as well!  Grandma will be missed but her memory will live on!
Below is a link to watch a video I made of her and some pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiQbDdikKus

Happy Birthday to Lily!!!!!

Lily Adeline Johnson you came into this world on Monday May 12, 2003 at 1745!  You wasted no time getting here and you have not wasted a minute since!  You were born by emergency c-section and I am so grateful to the amazing doctor’s and nurses that worked quickly to get you here healthy, kicking and screaming and showing us that all of your vital organ’s were functioning!  You were the FIRST Grandchild and the FIRST Great Grandchild on almost all sides expect for my mom’s side.  After you were born it was a grand event, you had many visitors coming up to see you!  So many in fact the nurses had to put a stop to the number of visitors you were having just so that mommy could get some rest!  In your ten years of life I think you have experienced and rebounded with great zeal!

Your first birthday was a celebration to remember with over 50 people packing in the parsonage!

We moved to a new house at 1228 Reed Street in the spring of 2005 where we celebrated your

second birthday with a slightly smaller celebration!

We welcomed your little brother Timmy into the world on December 20th!

You were very excited to have a baby but there are days now that I am not sure how excited you are to have the endearment of Timmy!  I keep telling you though one day when you are older you will be so glad you have your brothers!

You were a champ when mommy spent 3 weeks away in the PICU with your brother!  You loved on him well!

You LOVED your paci and “nene’s” as you called them!  We may have lost one of them but the other you still sleep with!

For your 3rd birthday you wanted a GREEN tractor!

In February we welcomed your little brother William!  There were times where I think you thought he was YOUR baby!

Then there was the move back to Indiana.  You had only known Iowa.  We moved to Fowler and lived there for 4 years.  Then we moved to Shirley where we are now.  You are a blessed girl as you got to experience the joy of 6 GREAT Grandparents and the joy of 5 Grandparents!  I can not wait to see where these next year take you as you lead your friends, as your grow in your walk with the Lord, as you mature in your piano and horse lessons and as you continue to blaze the trail!  I LOVE YOU!!!!!

If You Want Me To! By: Ginny Owens

This Mother’s Day Sunday was Andrew Lyon’s last Sunday to lead worship for awhile as MPC is going to be having Alana Story as our Worship Leader’s.  I have LOVED having Andrew lead us in worship!  There is something about his sweet spirit that takes you to the THRONE room!  He dissects songs just like a scientist dissects an animal.  Piece by piece, verse by verse!  I am sure if we ever had the opportunity to sit down and dissect this particle song it would be EPIC!
Today it was just Andrew and the piano and it was a slice of heaven!  He did a melody of several Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin Songs!  LOVED IT!  Ending with a Hymn!  He even had the HYMNAL out!!!!!!  Ya’ll that is unheard of any more and there are times where the richness from a song can nail the spirit!  I am going to dissect how this song “If You Want Me To” has been played over and over and over again and again in my life!  When Ginny wrote this song she wrote it out of her own trouble of finding a job.  You see she is a gifted piano player and singer but yet she is blind.  She struggled with finding a job as a choir teacher and I am not 100% sure she ever did but she did put out some pretty AMAZING CD’s!  I get her and connect with her just the same way I connected with Jesus today in worship!

“If You Want Me To”

written by: Kyle David Matthews and Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken and the signs are unclear

And I don’t know the reasons why you brought me here.

But just because you love me the way that You do

I’m gonna walk through the valley if you want me to.

Wow!!!!  We are saying YES LORD I will go through the valley of life that you have prepared for me because I know HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME!!! The many time’s that I have moved from state to state or even city to city.  Not because I WANTED to but because it was part of God’s bigger plan!  

Cause I’m not who I was when I took my first step

And I’m clinging to the promise You’re not through with me yet.

So if all of these trials that bring me closer to You

Then I will go through the fire if you want me to.

“Cause I’m NOT who I was when I took my first step!”  POWERFUL words and so thankful that we are NEVER who we were when we took that first step in our Christian walk!  I am thankful that we are always striving to be more like Christ.  To be more like him!  And how AWESOME is it to say that we can CLING to the promises he has written in the bible!  I am not sure where I would be without the everlasting WORD of God for guidance and strength! And to say YES Lord I will go through this FIRE if that is what I need to do.  I don’t know about you but for me those are SCARY words to say but yet at the same time such FREEDOM can come from them when we say YES Lord I will go through this trial!  Never did I think that going through two back surgeries was part of MY plan but God knew it was part of HIS plan!  Never did I think have a child sick and in the hospital be part of MY plan but it was part of HIS plan!  Each time we go through a trial in life God uses these to mold us and shape us into more of his image.  These fires that we go through stretch us, teach us to trust in HIM more and gain our strength from HIM!

And it may not be the way I would’ve chosen

When you lead me through a world that’s not my home

But you never said it would be easy

You only said I’d never go alone.

WOW!  This first line is SUCH THE TRUTH!!!!  There are many things in life that did not go the way I thought it should have gone!  I never thought that I would go down the path of a divorce, nope, I never thought I would go through seven surgeries that doesn’t happen to me!  I never thought I would be a “heart mom” NOPE!  I am a good person, that wouldn’t happen to me but you know that it DID and God has used those trials to teach me and grow and make me stronger!

So when the whole world turns against me

And I’m all by myself

And I can’t hear you answer my cries for help

I’ll remember the suffering that your love put you through

And I will go through the valley if you want me to.

“When the WHOLE world turns against me!”  How many times have you and I said that nobody understands?  I have no one to turn to.  God WHERE ARE YOU?!  He has never LEFT you!  He died on the cross for your sins!  He stretched our his ARMS and said I LOVE YOU_______ this much!!!!  We can MAKE it through these trials in life because HE loves us and has already GONE BEFORE US!!!!!

Outlive Your Life!

As many of you know that read my blog know two things
1) I LOVE Music!
2) I went to the Josh Wilson, Colton Dixon and Third Day Concert this past week

At my church, Madison Park Church of God, we have been studying Max Lucado’s book “Out Live Your Life”!  This book has reiterated some points to me about serving.  I am thankful that I grew up and served in an amazing church that made it a point to SERVE other’s!  Do you realize that there are people you can SERVE right around you!  You don’t have to go to a third world country to be used by God!  God can use YOU in your every day life!!! How cool is that!  Today as we were talking about our attitudes and how we can take it from,what is in it for me, to what can I do for you!?!  I think of how we worship!  When we WORSHIP and you raise your hands we are reaching OUT…saying “here am I SEND ME/USE ME!”  We don’t worship with our hands towards us but rather outwards.  Think about that the next time you raise your hands in worship.  Worship with your hands outward towards others!  Towards GOD!

This song “I REFUSE” really nails it on the head as to what we have been talking about.  How many times do we stand and watch instead of participate   Being used BY GOD is not a spectator sport it is a participant sport!  REFUSE to just move on but instead DO something about what is going on around you.  You don’t have to have money, you don’t have to be educated you don’t have to be anything but WILLING for God to use you!!!!!!!!!  What are you doing to do today that will make a mark for eternity?????

“I refuse” by Josh Wilson

Sometimes I
I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright
When I know they’re not

This world needs God
But it’s easier to stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on
Like nothing’s wrong

But I refuse
‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, oh God

So, if You say move
It’s time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
Show them who You are

‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
[. From: http://www.elyrics.net .]
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back
And try and act like all is well

I refuse to stay unchanged
To wait another day, to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse

‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

I refuse
I refuse
Lyrics from eLyrics.net

Concert Review! THIRD DAY, CoLtOn DiXoN, and jOsH wIlSoN!

First of let me start out by saying that I am enjoying more than I could have ever thought getting back into the concert venues again!  It has been over 11 years since I have attended 2 concerts in ONE year!!!!  Don’t EVER change the person YOU are for some one else!  If they can not accept you AS YOU ARE then they are not worth YOU!!!!!!

Ok….so here’s the story!  I had gotten my ticket’s to see The Miracle show right after the Chris Tomlin Concert back in March because the radio station that supported the Chris Tomlin concert mentioned that the Third Day show was just about sold out!  I had bought two tickets and my friend said so who are you taking.  To which I replied I don’t know!!!  You see I have been a long time THIRD DAY fan from back when they first started and were the OPENING act for the Newsboys!  Ya’ll I am either OLD or well seasoned in the Music arena!!! So, the week was approaching and on Wednesday I made the decision that I would not be able to go because of my daughter’s all day field trip to the OLD state capital on Friday!  I knew staying out until midnight Thursday night and going on a field trip at 5a.m. with 3rd and 4th graders would be a recipe for a grumpy mom!  So, I took my tickets to Northview and explained the situation to their receptionists, as itickets could not exchange them.  She said well maybe someone else is in the same situation as you are and there might be two tickets for TONIGHT’s show.  I thought o.k. that would be really awesome but what are the chances…right?  So, I left her my name and number.  I also tweeted MAC Powell from Third day that there were 2 tickets to the SOLD OUT Thursday night show and to bless someone with them!

Well, not more than 30 minutes later I get a phone call from the church that there are two tickets for WEDNESDAY night’s show waiting for me and I get a TWEET from MAC Powell…ya’ll getting a TWEET from MAC is like getting a PHONE call, letting me know that there were two tickets and to come on out and enjoy the show! I picked up the tickets from the church office and while doing so, drove by the tour buses and caught David their drummer taking some pictures of the BEAUTIFUL Indiana sky!  I chatted with him and thanked him for allowing me to come to the show!  So, the friend that was going to go with me was not able to go, I called another friend, nope, and finally I called another friend who REALLY wanted to come but had a mowing job to do early Thursday morning and could not come.  So, I went ALONE!!!  You may think wow that sounds not fun at all but in reality I am learning to be content doing things alone and basking in HIS presences!!!!!  I went and I sat next to the receptionists and she probley thought what did I get myself into??!?!  This girl can YELL!!!!  Third Day put on a SOLID, CLEAN Third Day show!!!!  The only part I missed was not as much worship but I guess it was not the WORSHIP tour! Ha! HA! 🙂 

Their opening acts were Josh Wilson which I was not familiar with but did recognize his songs and then COLTON DIXON!  You could tell that there defiently was the “teenage girl” factor as they scream so much higher pitched!  And they don’t jump up and down like Third Day Gomers do they head bang! HA!  O.K. So, I don’t watch American Idol, probaley one of the few in this country that does not but my MOM who is 64 does!!!!!  The crazy thing is I told her that COLTON DIXON sang and she was like your serious!?!?!  I said YUP!!!!  She KNEW WHO COLTON DIXON WAS!!! MY 64 MOM!!!! That is just CRAZY to me!!!!!  I will tell you this Colton Dixon is the REAL deal!  He is amazingly gifted and I can’t wait to watch him grow and mature as an artist!  His sister Skylar sang with him and Third Day as well!  A beautiful young lady!  I can’t wait to watch her grow in her musical talent as well!  My favorite song by Colton was SCARS!  I will write a post about my own SCARS another time!  But that is a great starting point to a book!

Great Concert and I am beyond grateful for Third Day being so REAL!