Lafayette

Well, Christopher is safe and sound in Lafayette, LA at the moment. Tomorrow is quite a fun day for the man who enjoys risk-taking!! He will be dropped from a helicopter after it's been spinning around several times and he'll have to swim to shore. Then he'll be turned upside down in a simulation helicopter under water and have to break free from inside.....all of this is to earn his safety thingy-majig for off-shore drilling. I'm super excited for him. I know this is right up his alley; however, it does not change the fact that he has crossed my mind at least 1000 times in the 16 hours since I've seen him. I guess you could pretty much say that I am simply put, lovestruck by the man. I adore him and am thankful to God that our paths crossed and that relationships grow. 

Tee-balling Mika's way!

Mika Johnson, weighing in at 37 pounds, and 38 inches tall...she may be the smallest player on the team, but her spunk will carry her far!

Will she triumph or fold under the pressure of playing in the dirt???

There is no doubt, she has much support coming from the stands...

A teammate has already broke...

Mika battles inside to overcome the temptation to join in all the 'dirty' fun 

She takes her position...

 YAY! You moved your feet and went for a grounder, unlike Mommy who waited for the ball to come to me! I'm so proud of you!!

 Oh no, she's caving...And she gives in...the rock collecting spirit inside her succombs...we found four rocks in her back pocket later that night;) 

Batter up!

But 1st, a little more dirt diggin'!

Love you so much!

You were really trucking it....I had so much fun cheering you on...

Whether you were dirt-diggin---rock-collectin----talking-on-a-'cell phone'-----or really playing the game, you were smiling and so were we!

Crazy Love- finished!

Okay God, Seriously, why did You give Francis Chan this intimate knowledge, this very literal interpretation of Your commands? I mean come on, what am I suppose to do now? I was doing "just fine" seeking You to benefit me in this race of the American Dream....And what now? Sell all my stuff and give it to the poor....lack my own material possessions in an attempt to better the least of these...invite strangers into my house; even the ones who can't invite me back....I mean, really God?! Wait,  hold that thought,  You want me to get outside the walls of Christians and hit up the local cell blocks or travel outside these states to love others....WHAT?! there it is, right there it is:  Bam, like a smack to my face and my comfort: THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU COMMAND OF ME!

Matthew 25: Jesus says, "I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me."................"I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, YOU DID NOT DO FOR ME...."

Now check this out: 1st John 3:16-20
¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Oh, Father God, I have let you down. I have denied Jesus time and time again as I store up more and more here and now while seeing the needs of others.  My heart is hard and so used to seeing people in need that w/o realizing it, I justify not helping. When I do help, its almost as if a sense of  "we've done enough for now, we're good for awhile" comes over me and  Father, I see that this is a detrimental factor in displaying Your Love. You even say it is possible that Your love and truth are not in those of us who don't help others...what am I doing God? Show me. Show me what I am to do, Father. And then provide the means for me to accomplish it, and provide the courage for me to go do it. Thank You, Jesus that You cover me, I am so unworthy of Your Love, but thankful, so thankful. I praise you for Francis Chan and the work he is doing for and through you. Amen.

Weapon of Mass Distraction:Deactivated!

Okay, well, I fianlly did it. I have temporarily deactivated Facebook...sure the doubts came rolling through my brain. The "you live so far away, your family/friends want to keep up with you," and "the girls do and say the silliest/sweetest things right now-the whole world needs to hear/see them," and "what about using your status to minister," and "what about you- facebook is your you-time...." These are the tidbits that have kept me from deactivating a year ago when I first became aware that I had a problem...Hello, My name is Stacy Johnson and I am addicted to Facebook...or my phone....or blogging, oh, heck, anything technological! All laughing matters aside, ya know that feeling of recently posted status syndrome, that inability to leave Facebook aside because the anticipation of what others will comment is simply too much? Well, I can't take it anymore. I can't take the fact that I already have sleep problems, and yet instead of trying to sleep, I put the girls to bed and piddle on facebook...I could be digging into the Word,  the nights I actually rest are the times in which I've spent a good amount of time in Scripture.  Funny how that works. Some other reasons I've needed to "unplug" facebook is because my precious 8 year old looked at me and said, "Mom, its like you live your whole life on your phone..." Now, it does appear this way; if I'm not checking Facebook, I'm texting their father, if I'm not texting their father, I'm searching for directions to ball parks using my phone, searching for school lessons for the next day using my phone, looking up Scripture using my phone, do you see where she is coming from? Bless them, another lie I told myself about all these things is, "you only do this in your spare time..." Spare time?! A Mom does not have spare time, at least, I believe it should be minimal! There is too little time in the world of childhood for me to not actively be in the midst of all things Mady and Mika, even if its just sitting in the playroom floor holding a dadgum Barbie (w/o) my phone logged on!  Alright, Alright, I just deactivated my account, and who knows how long the Lord will guide me to keep it that way. I know He is ready to bring me back to a place where He is who I wake up longing to read about.
Father, I come into your prescence blameless by the blood of the Lamb, but I must confess I have sinned. I allowed "things of this world" to take my eyes off of you and my sweet girls that you gave me as good and precious gifts. I seek forgiveness and thank You that I'm forgiven. Please Father, change my heart, undo the distractions that I've allowed to become habits that don't draw me closer to you.  Rid me of a desire to feel wanted/connected to things of this Earth, this isn't home and its time I start living like it. Thank You Father, Amen.

Today, You Turn 8 Years Old!

My Love, look how grown up your are?

Did you know that when you lay on me, that it is when I am most comfortable?
You are a sleepy-head in this picture and you just wanted to love on Momma!

Madyson Elyse Johnson, I cannot tell you enough how good you are for my soul. When I say that you brighten our world, I don't want you to take it lightly. If God is light, than Sissy, you are a beam of His sunshine. You radiate all things beautiful. Let me tell you how, at 8 years old:
you strive to serve the Lord---- In EVERYTHING (even Barbie-playing)

• Did you know that while we were at Nana and Poppi's you made a sign that read "Mady's Bible Class, ages 3 and up, Lesson: The ark of the covenant" and you set it out along the street by their driveway? You waited patiently for anyone to show up and were kind of sad when we had to leave for the evening. The thing about that is, you showed me that you have confidence in the Word we are placing in you. You are ready to share it!
• Did you know that you weren't going to participate in the Easte egg hunt because you said, "Mom, I can't serve the Lord and hunt these eggs, I am too competitive and if I lose, I will cry and be angry." This gave me a peek into your heart: you know that serving the Lord is worthy to replace "fun" things if it causes you to sin. There are many adults that still don't know this or aren't willing to sacrifice the "fun."
• Did you know that when you play Barbie's,  I hear lessons of following the Lord come out? Your imagination incorporates wisdom into playtime. For example, I hear your wife Barbie taking care of her husband and helping him at his work (your Barbies often live on a farm, the wife "makes clothes" for her family, while her husband is working the fields she is taking care of toddlers and is always pregnant;) At times, I hear you talk about when you have to discipline the children for being mean to siblings. And, I cannot tell you enough how precious it is, when you take a break from playing, come find me and talk my ear off about what is going on in "The Domestic Housewives of Barbie-World"  Mady, your imagination just rolls on and on and the stories you create are sincere and real-life like; at least the way the world should be. You have Godly roles planted deep within you and it shows me that you WILL become a woman of God. You are certainly His child.
• Did you know that you were ready to quit soft-ball this year because the other children were disrespectful and rude? As you listen to their conversations at practice and how mouthy they were, you ran over to me with tears and said you needed to just take piano this year. You were devastated by how sassy the kids were, you were so smart and sweet as we discussed why it is that the kids are naturally mean. You came to understand that we are all natuarally sinners and that it is just in our blood to act worldly. We talked about how humans need a Savior to change our hearts; it is the only way to be made new. In our discussion, you saw what happens when kids don't have parents that intentionally place the Word of God in their hearts, it is a terrible thing for their souls because they are so young and already the serve the devil...Momma explained that instead of quitting soft-ball, you be the example, you be the God-girl, most importantly, you be the city on hill.
• Did you know you are CONSTANTLY looking for ways to make others happy. You share often, there are times where Mika has pushed too far and you'll say, "Mom. I gave her this, this, and this, and I am not giving her this!" I'm so proud of the fact that you sacrifice for your sissy's happiness, I would have left Stephy to just cry and I'd probably have rubbed it in her face that I had what she wanted. Speaking of Stephy, you made her a ribbon tree for her wedding, but this was not enough. You got her decor that said, "When I count my blessings, I count you twice," but that was not enough. You took $15 of your own money and bought her a tube of perfect 50's red lipstick at Crescent Hotel while she was getting her hair done. It was called Red Zen and it was so perfect with our dresses that every bridesmaid and Stephy wore it during the wedding!! Sissy got upset that you got Stephy all these things and decided to hop on the band-wagon, she used her "own money" to get Stephy blue nail-polish! Any way, you are constantly thinking of Ashton and what you could send her, pretty much anywhere we go you can come up with something you think someone else would like. You ARE NOT a 'me-centered' 8 year old!
• Did you know that some of your favorite quick-read picture books are 'Will it be Okay, Mom?', 'Someday', and 'I Loved You Before You were Born'... each of these deals with the stages of the life-cycle. You understand that we live and we die and that in all this ruckus of life, one thing matters; Do you glorify God? That is it. Period.
• Did you know, you designed your own birthday cake? You even wanted your cake to display the Glory of God:

Great design! You did good;) You wanted an African sunset because Daddy was in Angola, a cross, and the words "God is Love" your cake is so much better than the green dog I chose for my 8th birthday party!

• At your party you asked if we could have a Bible study, but amidst all the fun, time got away and what do ya know, Momma had everyone on a pallet watching Jack  and Jill...Sorry.

Sis, 8 years ago today, honestly, I didn't know what I was doing. I knew I had an awesome responsibilty and that I was coming face to face with unconditional love, but I didn't know you would hold me together, I had no idea that you would teach me. I try to explain to you how much love I have stored up for you at times...I'll say, "Gah....I just love you so much, Oh, man, it's just like all this love is pouring out of my fingertips, I cannot control it, what can I do with all this love..." You just grin and hug me or kiss my cheek.

Father, thank You! I rejoice for this precious child You have given me as a gift. What a gift she is. Provide the wisdom I need to shepard her heart. She is such joy in a dead world and I know You have plans for her that surpass what I imagine. Show me how to provide for her best, show me how to draw out her gifts, God. Do not let me impose my will on her, just Yours. Father, I thank You that Jesus' blood allows to fellowship with you and I charge angels to gather about her all of her days. Thank You. Thank You. Amen!

Jesse, the Leprechaun;)

While we  stayed at Nana and Poppi's, St. Patti's Day rolled by. As I revealed a story of how Stephy tricked me into believing she had a leprechaun named Jesse living in her closet when we were little, you all listened with enchantment! I got busy and forgot to explain that it wasn't true! I walked into the living room and on the  floor  you had set up this structurally magnificent creation, a leprechaun trap:

It consisted of a shoe box, a pencil for support, and a bar of gold (paper weight) to lure him in! Pure genius, I tell you;)





That night, the two of you and Avree made a pallet in the floor in hopes of hearing Jesse. You asked me to sleep on the couch because you were just a tad nervous about that tricky little guy;)

Obviously, not too nervous!





I could not sleep because I was missing Daddy terribly. He had been gone for 2 weeks and we would not be seeing him for 2 more... it was just a hard realization for me. I tossed and turned and text Daddy a picture of your trap. I believe his exact words were, "Those sweet babies, you have got to do something for them, go catch Kirbea (NanaNette's cat), spray her green, and put her in that box." My response was, "I will not touch that demon who is in the shape of a cat's body!" But, Daddy would not let it go...he wanted you to have a little treat in the box at least. So I made up this little diddy,

"I am quiet and I'm sneaky,

no one has ever seen me,

on St. Patti's Day I come out,

to take a little peeky.

Where is my pot of gold?

The end of the rainbow, I am told.

Thanks for luring me to this box,

take a lucky shamrock!"

So, the trap fell on this treat, thanks to Daddy's request.

You guys were so pumped to wake up to the fallen trap! I love the innocent light in your eyes as you lifted the box... and how perfectly thrilled you were with Jesse's treat! My sweet girls, you are so much fun.





Easter, With Family Even Though They Weren't Blood;)



And let the coloring begin!

Food coloring is our favorite dye!

Sister Love and egg dyeing:)

Maybe not the greatest idea!

I love that blue egg and that blue-eyed girl!

This is why we only use food coloring, look at the vibrancy!!

Mika's picture for  the Easter Bunny, Mady is leaving  him a letter...

Rabbits get carrots, broccoli, and water...no cookies!

Easter treats

The egg hunting gang

Sweet Beary in her Easter attire with her "basket"

Let the games begin...

the hunt is on...

Great job girls, you had a blast!!

Well, although Daddy was gone and we are here in PA, Easter was really special! We spent today with five other TTS oilfield families who are all w/o their blood relatives as well! I must say, I never imagined today being such a fun, laughter filled day! The food was great; the "Kickin Corn" was a hit and the 'cream cheese blueberry cobbler thingy' I made, was great too, as always! Thanks to my momma for getting me the dish that makes it so pretty!  The Bass family hosted dinner and a huge egg hunt, like 200 eggs for 12 kiddos and prizes for all of them!

Our morning was spent at home having church and eating Pink Easter pancakes. Our lesson was of course, the Easter story. We discussed the events leading up to Jesus' Resurrection and looked at the 12  Ressurection eggs. I played the song "He's Alive" and we discussed that is was from Peter's point of view, Peter had denied Jesus three times, and that upon Christ's return, He was not mad at him. Wow! We are so loved I explained through my tears. Jesus knows we will fail, heck he can tell us before it ever happens and yet He loves us anyway. We are so unworthy. He knew it and He knew His blood would change that.

We talked about Doubting Thomas and how Momma  feels that I have been right where Thomas was. I played the Nichole Nordeman song "To Know You" and some lyrics that hit me every time are:
 Thomas needed
Proof that You had really risen
Undefeated....
When he placed his fingers
Where the nails once broke Your skin
Did his faith finally begin?
I've lied if I've denied
The common ground I've shared with him

We discussed the verse after Thomas has to see Jesus' skin he says , "My Lord and My God!" and Jesus replies, "Because you have seen me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:28-29  They were excited that they fall into this second  category:)

We colored pictures of the Mary Magdelene discovering the empty tomb and talked about her first reaction and what it must have been like and how the Angel would make you feel.... We listened to "Why" and it struck their hearts as usual... because this time they pretended they were the little girl in the song. Jesus did it for them and it really set the stage for good conversation about why the death was important, but how the resurrection is the VICTORY! I had them retell the story  and I'm confident they are storing it in their hearts, although I know one lesson does not do this story justice. I must live out my faith in it so they see it unfold in my life.

Pink Pancakes

A final note, the Bass family lost their 20 year old son this last November to a massive seizure. Today, as I spoke with them, Mr. Chris Bass just had to let a few tears fall. He said not a day goes by that he doesn't think and hurt for his boy. He said they had to have us all over today or it would have just been too hard. The hurt on his face has me sitting here letting a tear fall as I type. His hurt, God, I don't want to be oblivious it. I don't want to be someone who goes on like all is well in the world. Show me how I can be used to help them, what can I do, God, use me.

Father, I cry out to you on this man's behalf. I keep seeing his hurt on his face and its not something I can let go of. Father, You say You won't place on us more than we can bare, but this man/family is hurting so bad. Father, you tell me not to be anxious but instead come to you in prayer and thanksgiving, so I will try my best. Thank You for the life you gave to them in their son. Thank You for the moments they held him and watched him grow. Please God, place divine peace, divine understanding, divine strength, and a passion for You within this hurting family. By literal means replace the hurt with hope of our real home which is yet to come. God lift the burden of heart and allow them rest. By Jesus Blood I seek this.

This moment I thank You for my daughters. Oh God, you are all-knowing and I see it everyday that you give me to love them. I praise You. You are so worthy of my love and obedience, draw me to You. Thank You for this great plan you made in Your Son. What a day of celebration it will be, when we all see Jesus we'll sing and shout the Victory. Amen.