bubble gum on a Bible

Saturday night, I discovered that Christian's Bible, new as of September, still had a glob of gooey, sticky, pink bubble gum on the front of its leather cover.

"Son! Come. Here!"

"Didn't I tell you to wash this off?! This is unacceptable. This is not how we treat God's Word."

"Yes, mam. I'm sorry, I couldn't get it off."

Obviously he hadn't tried hard enough!

-Sigh-

"Bring me a warm, wet washcloth; I'll help you scrub it off."

My 6 yr-old scurried out and returned with washcloth in hand. I set about showing him the proper way to remove the gum. Ugh! Christian was right - it wasn't coming off!

Thinking like one with experience in the school system, I thought, "Ah, we need to scrape it off."

"Okay, buddy, let's scrape it off with these scissors."

Not working well... not working well at all.

Christian's hands now gooey. Bible still a mess.

Frustrated.

That's when the Holy Spirit showed me.

I held up the Bible.

"Christian, do you know what this reminds me of?"

"That it's not okay?"

I held his face gently, as tears formed in my eyes. "Baby, this is just like my sin and your sin. We can try and try to scrub and scrape it off, but it won't work. Who do we need to make us clean?"

"God."

"Oh yes, Baby! We need God who sent our Jesus to die to make us clean. God loved His son sooo much, but He new we couldn't get it off. So He sent Him here to die for you and for me."

Now Christian sobs.

I sob.

The grace of the moment overwhelms us both, as a mommy and a son very much in need of a Savior hold each other, and the Spirit allows us to once again see the Truth.

That night, I let my children read me the Easter story, in their own beds - a gift stamped and delivered with the word "MERCY."

Oh sweet mercy.

kellybollman.com

www.kellybollman.com

I have so much catching up to do, so I'll make big plans for that to happen over our Spring Break! But in the meantime...

I have a new art website! I'm thrilled.

Can you believe how awesome this homepage that Jessi designed looks?! She is so talented!

The Lord has granted me with some serious desire to paint during this season of life -

so if you want a painting, know somebody that might want a painting, want to tell your husband that you want a painting for say... Mother's Day, it would be an absolute blessing to get started.

Storming and stuff

Time to catch up.

There was a snow"storm" a while back. :)

Christian lost his first tooth!

I've been painting up a storm too.

I think this one is finished.

This one is not... here's a close-up of the work in progress.

A good book, anyone?

If you are one of the few that have not read this book, you will not regret adding it to your "to-read" list. It's one of those that stays with you. Had to mention that!

What is one of your lastest good reads? I'm looking for some new books. :)

Painting

Okay, this weekend I focused on PAINTING! woohoo :) This portrait is most definitely formal or traditional (what the client requested). The photos aren't great. I had to take them indoors, as it was raining and didn't have great light... but you get the idea.

Love this little guys' chubby cheeks!!!

At any rate, I had FUN doing this!

#5

See that guy on the far left. That's John, Belle and Christian's Daddy. He has been in the US for almost 8 months (stationed in Italy & deployed to Afghanistan for 3 years prior), and this week he'll head out to Haiti. John's an Army Medic and will do an amazing job caring for people. I'm excited that he will be performing his passion. I'm excited that hurting people (beyond what I can imagine) will be receiving more care. John teaches classes on battlefield medicine. Right now Haiti, looks to me, comparable or worse than any battlefield. Expert crisis care is what they need. My heart is so glad for all of this.

John will be gone for 3 months or more. So, I pray for my babies' hearts, which had just gotten use to having a Daddy nearby. My most fervent prayers though are for what the Lord will do in the heart of that man in this picture (taken on our ski trip a week ago). The Lord has put me on a mission to pray for him.


I, of course, pray for all of those who are on a mission to help the suffering people in Haiti and for the very people, themselves, who are enduring circumstances that any blog cannot do justice.

Will you join me?



Thank you friends.

5 peeks

1. It's been a great day! These happen every so often. You know the kind, where your closets and drawers are stuffed with CLEAN CLOTHES, that made it out of the basket, got folded and actually put away in the (gasp!) saaaammmeee day.

2. This message by Andy Stanley was beyond good (the Lord causes some serious wisdom to spill out of that man's mouth) and perhaps gave me a push towards such "go-get-'em-ness". I listened to it while typing in grades this week at school. Perhaps you can check it out during a jog or tackling your own laundry!

3. I think God might have taught me how to paint like a big girl, today. I'm painting a portrait, and I just might post a pic when it's done. I'm also working on an 8 ft. sign for someone else. It's a delight to do what I love, while my kids play in the same room as me.

4. One of the trillions of things I've underlined in this study, One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer is this quote, which caused me to ink up a page again:

"As we consider the possibilities of what might go wrong if we step out and do as God says, we slowly convince ourselves that the possibility of the negative is more trustworthy than God."

5. ...

Out of time! I'm going to save this one for a post tomorrow.

2 under 2

Hey friends!
I just had to send out a word of encouragement to any Mommy of young babes or babes-to-be! My children are 18 months apart in age. When I was toting my 14 month-old around AND wearing maternity clothes people looked at me and even asked, "Did you do that on purpose?!" Well, God did. But, I'll be honest, I was overwhelmed at the sight of the pregnancy stick, later when I was vomiting due to morning sickness with a toddler following me into the bathroom, and certainly in the days when I'd care for one while breast-feeding the other and loading the dryer. :)

BUT! Let me tell you. Mine are 6 & 7, currently, and have been playing Legos together, happily for the past hour!!! I didn't say, "Hey, why don't you go play Legos?" They just spontaneously did this... and they're singing a made up song together... oh wait, they just transitioned to the Jackson 5's "Rockin Robin." hilarious
Remarkably, this is NOT uncommon.

So, be encouraged!!! It is a sweet sweet BLESSING to have children so close together. Was it hard 6 years ago? You betcha. Would I trade this for ANYTHING? Not on your life.

2 and 3

And two more resolutions

So clearly putting these in writing is key, since I thought, "crud, what were the other two???" as I began to type.

#2 Put photos in albums

Aha! Already off to an excellent start here.

One present for Christmas was a camera. Great gift. Needed it. Problem is I'm not a fan of pics all over my computer that never get printed and leisurely laughed over. Solution is to print them as they are taken and put into albums. Christmas pics are printed and in album. CHECK!

#3 Use the "envelope system" EVERY month with my budget.

This works for me. I spend too much on little things at Target or Wal-Mart or even the grocery store, when I have my debit card handy. So, I'm challenging myself to leave the debit card at home or in the car and take in only the cash I'm okay with spending. Gotta do the same with the eating out cash (aka drive thrus).

...Biting my lower lip - I can do this!

3 New Year Resolutions (part uno)
…three because that’s how many gifts baby Jesus received… Wait, no, that’s not it (giggling!); three because it’s just practical (right Jess? – wink).

#1 Cook Dinner 3 nights a week
Once again, the number three is just doable. I got really used to the soccer/football schedule creating zero time to cook a decent meal. I managed to throw frozen chicken in the crockpot like twice a month and whip up the occasional something else – let’s be honest – about four other times during the months of September through November. My other excuses include the fact that I have no adult other than myself to cook for, so… you know, you just lose an ounce of inspiration while preparing for K-2 tastebuds, and B) that I went through a cooking phase a couple of years ago and managed to grow bored with those top 5 recipes. Oh wait, there is also excuse C or D (or are we at E??…): I simply dislike finding the hour I tend to take to pull together the grocery list.

But alas, I want to be the Mommy who brings the family to the table to enjoy something with a tad more nutritional value than grilled cheese or its Mexicano friend, the quesadilla. Here’s my twenty-ten plan: prepare shopping lists for 3 meals/week that include meat, veggie, and perhaps a starch or additional vegetable of some sort. On the other days, we can eat leftovers, grilled cheese, or whatever floats our boat.

Help a mother out! I want the link to one of your favorite recipes. Of course, kid-friendly is great, but I’m all for teaching them to try new things.

p.s. I recommend the flick, Julie and Julia, for cooking inspiration. I found this movie delightful, and talked like Meryl Streep as Julia Childs for a good 30 mins. afterwards.

p.p.s. I live in a town where interesting ingredients do not exist. A fresh bay leaf is exotic here. For real.

and a time for...

I had a moment to share. I was going to pop in and just share a snippet of what I've done differently this year with my wrapping, and I'm still going to share. But before I began to type, I checked in on two other blogs. This one and this one. Sobering. And fitting.

For there is a time for everything.

A time for bawling over loneliness and a time for laughing at the days to come. A time for weeping and praying for those in tragedy and a time for making a mess in the den with your kids.

"Silver Bells" was playing on the radio today. Christian was singing along, "silver bells, silver bells... soon it will be 'Jesus' birthday'." Oh, sweet grace. It has sunk into my children's hearts that this is one giant birthday celebration. This is a time for the most precious party for the most precious miracle.

So now, the time for the light-hearted bit. I choose my wrapping paper fairly carefully each year, to at least have some sort of color theme. But, as for the bows... oh the bows, they've been lacking. So when I saw these in a magazine, I new just what I was going to do! And so I now have finished adding these crazy fun poms to the gifts and I love them.

Some are nice and tight like the ones in the picture, and some look like Fraggle Rock hair, and I love those too.

And that is Christmas.

No, really.

It is the silly silly light-hearted decorate a cookie with your kid meets hearts breaking over a Mommy or Daddy gone forever, and in the midst....

peace. Jesus.

IT FELL.

Yes. My vacuum cleaner is in the shop (cord came out).
And yes, today my real live (in the "ultimate Christmas tree stand" tree fell, while I was sitting beside it wrapping presents.
And yes, I did spend oh, 3-5 hours putting the sucker up 2 weeks ago.
Yes, I have lots and lots of ornaments. 200+
Yes, at least half of them fell off.
Yes, I acted more like Clark Griswold than Jesus... oh yes!
Yes, one present got soaken wet from the water spilling out of the tree stand.
And yes, I will be the proud owner of a pre-lit ARTIFICIAL tree next year.

Please giggle. I am now smiling and mess is now cleaned up. Thank you mama for letting me borrow your vacuum cleaner! Happy Monday friends!

New Header

Well, Belle is home sick today, and so I actually have the chance to insert my fabulous blog header. Jessi did this for me and I LOVE IT. :) So, see her for all your design needs.
Perhaps I'll be back for an actual post before January. ;)

pictures!

I have to show you the WONDERFUL pictures my sweet sweet friend Brooke took of us last weekend. Here's the link to her blog. What a wonderful photographer and precious spirit she is!

THANK YOU BROOKE!

a while

It's been a while. God told me He had a special present for me... a promise. I was so tickled. I got little "notices in the mail" letting me know that yes, my package was on the way. Friends agreed and were joyful with me. "Oh, praise Him, what a good gift this will be!" "I know!" I gushed, "I can hardly wait!" (I've hardly been waiting well, for sure.)

"Well, Lord, I know it's coming so I trust you," I'd pray. And I'd do another Tuesday, and hope that Wednesday would be the day.
Tears were shed when the "promised gift" still hadn't arrived weeks later.
(There may have even been one or two verbal "I-can't-do-this-any-longer fits.")

And here we are, making Christmas lists again, and I find myself looking back on so much of the same. I find myself needing my quiet time more than ever and yet wondering if that will be enough. Will those words mean much today?

And I sat. My sweet Father delivered this message to my heart.
Ephesians 3:19.
Lord, why do I do day after day? Waiting on promises? I want that gift so badly! You are the one that told me to look forward to it! Why must I do Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and another November and December and January and February (you know how I dislike winter!) and then hold my breath until Spring and then hope and then hope some more and...

Ephesians 3:19, He says.

To know (come to know...in a judicial sense, to know by trial, to learn, find out, to believe) this love that surpasses knowledge (present and fragmentary knowledge) - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

"So that you will BELIEVE by experiencing life with ME who I AM beyond what you see today.
You see, child, you would never begin to know the depth of my unfailing love, without days of experiencing it.
The past January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October have been about my love.
Today is about my love.
And when he comes home that will be about My love and just the sweetest drop of foreshadowing to the gush of love that is our Groom - the return of Glory, our Emmanuel once again."

with us.

Thank Yous!!!

My Dad and I were having a conversation about my maternal grandparents a couple of weeks ago. He said, "I remember when your great-grandfather once told me, 'Always remember to have an attitude of gratitude.' " And my Dad said, he never forgot that advice. I never knew this great-grandfather, but hearing his wisdom years later is part of a precious legacy.

So... as I start this week, finding myself wishing once again that I was a stay-at-home Mom who would wake up and make her kids breakfast, then take them to school, then come BACK HOME to tackle managing my household...

instead, I choose (inspite of myself!) to be grateful...

*That my computer that was going so slooooooooooowwww.... I mean, I had actual thoughts o having it worked on... and it fixed itself!

*That my garage door now opens and closes again - thanks to my stepdad!

*That John lives so close, and can chop wood and build fires and set up tents and roast the perfect marshmallow and/or hotdog and protect his kids from creepy sounds... for a wonderful bday party & campout! That after the campout that same Daddy made time to play "lightsabers" and legos with his kids. Thank you sweet, Lord.

*That 6 years ago this treasure of a friend was there for the birth of my precious boy. And has been my friend now for 10 years and celebrated her 28th bday this week. (love you katie!)

*And that I am a momma to some amazing kids, the daughter to Believing parents, and most importantly part of Abraham's seed and an heir to the King.

f

Free trip!

Well, pretty much free.

The kids and I had a great Saturday at the Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. It truly is fanastic to be only 2 hrs. from the ocean, AND it was "Teacher Appreciation weekend" there, so we got FREE tickets and things like this pic (that normally would have cost $20!!! - gasp)

They even gave me that little gift bag with a mug and coupons. I felt truly appreciated! :) Don't my kids look so old!? That handsome guy in the red shirt has a bday on Tues. He also currently would like to be a scuba diver when he grows up, so this was perfect for some pre-bday fun. We did the whole petting the stingrays thing... which wow! who knew you could hand feed them?

Then we spent the rest of the day here...

@ Myrtle Beach State Park. I spent $4 to park and the weather was gorgeous. We walked down the pier, had double scoops of ice-cream, played with other people's kids and made something that looked like a sand sculpture of a seaturtle. (what else do you do with collapsed sandcastles?)

AND, we made it back in time for the football game! ahhhhh. Really really great day.

Feelin like a Monday, but lovin these...

Alas, no working camera... not yet anyhow!

But, I'd like to potentially waste the next 5 mins. or so by sharing my top 5 most recent faves:

1. one-on-one kid time: football with Christian and shopping/doing nails with Belle

2. neti-pot... life changer

3. new 7 min. bedtime devotional with kids. We're only on day 3, but this is soooooo helpful with the consistency and application when my brain is sooo tired all three of us need some guidance.

4. NO MORNING DUTY. Also life-changing. I love the extra 15 mins. or so that this equals. Also, my babes are at the same school, so we're just not in quite the rush. Which, means most importantly that I can spend a little more time with my sweet Lord. How did I ever survive without Him starting my day!!!!? oh wait...

let's think back on those years - yeah, that explains it.

5. Getting my friend fix. Like I did 2 weekends ago with these fabulous ladies, who made my bday rock.

And this one who I got to see in back-to-back weekends. And three more wonderful phone calls with more favorites who I've been playing phone tag with for a month. Love love love my friends!

And, yipee tomorrow is Wed. and soon will be Friday and SATURDAY. And that leads me to #6:

I still heart Gamecock football. And confess that I'm thoroughly looking forward to this game:

bullets

• worked for a full week. still love my job. loved staying at home this summer better. BUT really love my job.
• can't wait to see friends this weekend.
• my kids really love school and I love seeing their sweet faces hop off the bus daily
• Belle has a haircut. How am I the mother of this giant child? She looks like 9!
• Christian now wears "styling paste" to school. he's cool like Daddy. ...I love his sweaty little head in the afternoons - so sweet.
• it's past my bedtime already
• hoping to have a working camera for a bday weekend post!!!!

Geez-looeeze, maybe i oughta update

Okay so I feel super snuggly and content.
Summer has been a joy to spend.
It's still my favorite.
I adore "playing" stay-at-home mom, but you know, something about fresh school (in my case - art) supplies makes it alright to head on back. That and I know the Lord hasn't told me to quit. So, here I am typing in short, uneloquent sentences.

Check back in. Maybe God will make me witty or wise. (Like he made Ellen funny that summer! -love that Ellen!) But for now, I'll try to post a pic of my kids looking like really cute here and there, or quote someone else less chilled out than myself.

I'm not lacking passion. Just soaking in contentment. And you know, how it is... in a great bath, or a deep cup of delicious coffee, or with your toes curled in sand on the perfect, not-to-hot, breezy day... there just aren't so many words, but a whole lot of AHHHHHH. So here's my big ole smile of contentment (chalk that up as a gift from the Lord), and my "Hi" to my blog-reading friends out there. See you soon.
p.s. Mel, as Chicago would say "you're the inspiration." yep, i read Leigh's comments. haha!
p.p.s. on a further random note, "Look Away" is still a really good song. haha. wow. goodnight.