Thirty-One Gifts

Last week I became a consultant for Thirty-One gifts. It's a business that sells super cute bags, totes, purses, wallets and things to help with organizing and stuff for babies. It's a really great company and I think it's going to be super fun. I have my first party tonight! If you'd like to see my website you can go to www.mythirtyone.com/ahinkle and place an order, if you'd like to host a party please contact me at ahinkle0112@yahoo.com .

it's a . . . .

PUPPY!

So we decided over the weekend to get the kids a puppy. Her name is Lucy Jane and she's a labradoodle and she is about the sweetest little thing. The kids are super excited about having her. Caley wanted to know if we were "trickin" her when we got there to pick her up.

search and rescue

This summer our Pastor has been doing a sermon series on 1 Peter called Search and Rescue, it has been a great series and has made me do some thinking in my life about some things I need to work on and some things I need to change. You can listen to the messages here at www.fbctopeka.org .

Each week there was something that stuck out to me. The first week was about the Great Commission and the 3 realities of it. First is that I've been selected for an opportunity, second, I'm a stranger with an identity and third, I have been scattered with a strategy and I need to live eternally.

The second week we talked about those who put their lives on the line for the Gospel and what they experience:

• they develop a proven and real faith
• they deepen their love
• they discover the joy of their salvation
• they discern their role in the greatest story

The next thing that really hit me was that we are always in such a hurry. We hurry so we can do the next thing, we hurry so we can get to the next place, we tell our kids to hurry, we hurry when we drive so we can get where we are going quicker. We miss so much because we are always in a hurry. I realized that hurry is the enemy of faith. If we/I would slow down a bit and take the time to spend in the word and in prayer our lives would be so much easier and we would be focused on what really matters and not all the things in the world.

Search and Rescue: Operation Marriage was the next topic and David preached that week and did a great job.

The original plan for marriage:

-God created roles in marriage to mirror His image. Gen. 1-2

-A husband's core role in marriage is a servant leader.

-A wife's core role in marriage is helper.

His (God's) best is always blessed when we pursue it.

The next week was about Rescue Heroes. A few things that stuck out that week were that a rescue hero turns away from selfish pursuits to take on the attitude of Christ. We will suffer in the short-term to gain in the long-term. Whatever God gives you use it to be hospitable to others. And the more I take on the attitude of Christ, the more glory God receives.

This past week was about the role of the Elder in the church and how the church is to respond to them. But what really stuck out to me was a question our pastor said, "What have you been chasing outside of the heart of God?" I've really been doing some thinking about that and what are the things that I've been chasing that are outside of the heart of God.

It's been a really convicting summer and I'm still trying to figure out what I need change and do in my life so that the things I choose aren't outside of the heart of God.

umm no thanks

Blake says to us the other day, "Anyone want to smell my leg pit?"

let's worship

This week the kids have been attending another church's VBS called High Seas Expedition. They have been having a great time and tonight is the ice cream social and their little program. They are very excited. So last year when they went I bought them the shirts thinking that they would love them which wasn't the case, so this year when I signed them up I told them I wasn't buying the shirts because they didn't wear last years. On Thursday when I picked them up Blake really wanted a shirt and I said I probably wasn't buying them because of what happened last year. Well today I caved and bought him a shirt and Caley wanted the CD with the songs that they've been singing.

She turned the CD on before lunch and we listened to it before, during and after lunch. David and I were still sitting at the table visiting after we ate and they were in the living room singing and dancing. Caley comes running to the kitchen and she says to us, "Come on, let's worship Jesus!"

colorado

Last week we took a family vacation to Colorado, we had a great time got to do lots of fun stuff. We visited Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Denver,Winter Park and Grand Lake, CO. We also went to the top of Pike's Peak and Mt. Evans. We saw our friends Larry, Megan and their little boy Asher. We went through a really scary hail storm in Limon, CO our car has a few more dings in it from that. But overall it was great and we had lots of fun! Here are some pics that we took while we were in Colorado.

The picture above it what we saw coming into Limon, Colorado. Below is a picture of the hail on the ground at the gas station where we waited the storm out.
Us at the top of a rock at Garden of the Gods. It was so beautiful.

We got the opportunity to stay at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. It was a great place to stay and we definately didn't want to leave.

We made it to the summit of Pike's Peak, we rode the cog rail to the top. The kids thought it was cool that we got to ride up the mountain in a train.

Above is the kids getting on the train to go back down the mountain.
I have lots more pictures I'd like to share so I'll do that in another post.

summer sewing

The other day Caley and I were looking at the website called Skip to my Lou and she had a post for Embroidery for kids. Caley saw the picture of this cute little flower that you embroider and then make a pillow and she asked if she could make one. I said of course because I love to do crafts and sewing and stuff like that. Plus I was super excited that she wanted to do it and it's giving her something to do this summer. She drew her flower on a piece of blank paper, then we traced it with a transfer pencil. Next we ironed it on to the yellow fabric she chose from my fabric stash. Then we had to make a fast trip to Joann's to buy a small hoop and of course she chose a pink one.

The she started to sew her flower. She chose pink for the petals and purple for the middle of the flower.

This is the flower finished before we made it into a pillow. I let her choose the fabric that she wanted for the border, ruffle and back. I sewed the pillow for her but next time I think she can do a little bit of the sewing.

So here's her finished project. She is so proud that she did it all by herself with only a little help from mom. Today she is starting her second project which is a cute picture of 2 strawberries that she wants to make into another pillow. She found the picture in her Strawberry Shortcake coloring book. I'll post a picture once she finishes.