Lake Williamson

Speech Meet 2009

Jaron and Evan qualified for the Regional Christian School's speech meet back in February. It was yesterday. The kids all had the day off from school so we all went and made a family day of it and watched them compete. They both received Superior ratings and this year Evan followed in his brother's footsteps and was chosen to say his speech in front of the entire assembly. Unlike Jaron, Evan has been extremely nervous and initially didn't want to be chosen to say it in front of everyone. But as the time drew near to being selected, Evan admitted to really wanting an opportunity to do so. Well he got it. Here it is...

Lessons from "The Weekend" part one

So I have had a week to digest the last weekend and I believe that although I was a speaker for "the weekend", I will gain life lessons and reminders for a lifetime from the experience.

I was reminded of the deep embedded passion I have for young women to fall in love with our incredible Savior. "The Weekend" truly is a journey with Christ. It is so exciting to see these girls come on Friday, some a little hesitantly; and by the time they leave on Sunday night they are glowing from the agape love they received over the last 50+ hours. So many times during our time together I was transported to days past and moments that defined my spiritual upbringing. Most of those in the quiet moments of praise and prayer times in our most cherished chapel. My church family meant so much to me then and I couldn't imagine life now without our community of believers. Even though I don't believe in the liberal concept that it takes a village to raise a child, I do believe it takes a family of faith to mold and make disciples. (I got the opportunity to be with a family of believers this weekend that are amazing.)

I was also reminded of how Christ has literally ordained my steps. Hind sight is such an incredible blessing from the Lord. I continually see how He has orchestrated my life and I am overwhelming honored to share with others how He has worked in my life. "God is good all the time" has pretty much become my life motto, that even in hard circumstances - He is always good. I am learning the heart of thanksgiving in everything.


THANK YOU
The Katinas

Just a little while longer I wanna pray
Can't get You off my mind so I came to say
Thank You Lord just for loving me
Many times as I do forget
Every need that You have met
Oh thank You Lord, I know You're showing me
You are there when I am down and out
You're holding me, Your love is so amazing
Oh it changed me

Chorus:
Here I am with all I am
Raise my hands to worship You
I wanna say thank you, oh thank you
For everything, for who You are
You cover me, You touch my heart
I wanna say thank you

I could have died in my sin but You saved me
Didn't have any hope at all
You gave me peace divine, strength to carry on
I should have been the one to pay
But instead You took my place
My Jesus, words cannot explain
Even though I don't deserve Your love for me
You look beyond my fault and You showed mercy

CHORUS

I wanna say thank you for the sun
I wanna say thank you for the rain
Everything You do is beautiful
I'm so grateful for Your love

Per Gloria's Hint....

So I haven't been blogging much lately. I guess you could say I have had writers block. I've had to give a couple of "talks" over the last few weeks and have been busily working on those and neglecting my blog. Tomorrow I head to "The Weekend". For all of us old Episcopalians that would be "Chrysalis". I am giving the "Growth Talk" which is about prayer and study to 29 teenage girls and 24 team members on Saturday morning. If you happen to think of me around 11 am. say a little prayer. Also pray for my family as I will be away from them from 2:45 pm tomorrow till about 8 pm on Sunday evening. Once I debrief from it, I am sure to have lots of things to blog about.

Until then....

My Story

This year at church we have a segment in our service called "My Story" and every week someone will share their personal testimony of their relationship with Christ. The pastors and their wives are going first and today is my turn.

I have been faced most recently with several opportunities to stand before people to share about my life and have struggled with the decision to do so because I've just personally been going through one of those valleys in life. I'm being challenged by God in different areas that have been painful and difficult. I knew I could get up and talk about how good God is because that definitely hasn't changed for me, but I knew I couldn't fake my way into portraying the spiritual giant I wish I was.

I realized in my prayers and petitions to God that it was OK, He loves me despite my reluctance and even my stubbornness at times. I'm really understanding the journey and process more. I have even found a lot of encouragement in reliving my own story and seeing how Christ has defined himself in my life over and over again. I've been reminded again that when I put my focus on Him instead of myself or my dilemmas He has a way of changing my circumstances or changing me in my circumstances. So even in times when I feel far from Him, I see that He is always close to me. God is good all the time.

I just want to say to all my dear friends, thanks for being apart of my story and ultimately His story.

My name is Tavia Weatherly and this is (part of) my story.

Don't know what to say?

It's been awhile since I've imparted any words of value on my blog. I have to admit that I've been going through a lot of things personally and have felt unsure of what to write and what to keep to myself. I'm learning on my own strength I'm such a failure. It's a difficult and humbling experience. God and I are working on some things in my heart and it's been a journey. I've found forgiveness, acceptance and unconditional love when I laid everything at his feet.

You would think I would feel like the world has been lifted off my shoulders. But it doesn't feel that way. I feel like I'm carrying self-doubt, guilt and shame around like a 9-month pregnant woman. I know it's my own fault for not releasing those feelings. With all the heart-purging I've been experiencing lately, I just can't seem to shake it. I know it's a process. I know it takes time. But like so many things in my life, I just want to hurry up and get through it. It's all character building and faith walking - things I think I would have grasped better as a young christian.

You are so beautiful to me.

A morning at Lowes

We try to find something to do together as a family on 

Saturday mornings.  Generally in past winter months 

we do swimming lessons, but over the course of the 

last couple of months we have participated in the 

Lowes Build & Grow program for kids.  Twice a 

month on Saturday mornings they have a building 

project for kids to make with parents.  When your 

finished you get a certificate and a badge to put on 

your apron that they give you the first time you attend.  

The best part of it is that it is all free.  The kids love it 

and ask us every Saturday if its time to go to Lowes.  

So far they have made a pumpkin, football goal, 

gingerbread house and this week we made time 

capsules.  We have had a great time doing this and 

we all look forward to it.  Next month we are making 

jewelry boxes (which the boys are going to give to 

their teachers) and race cars.  Should be fun!

Happy Birthday Lydia!

Lydia is three years old today.  

 

Lydi

Today we got an invitation for a mommy & daughter 

morning with our friends Janeen & Lanae.  

We got to make and decorate Christmas cookies.  

We had such a great time.  Lydia especially loved 

the pink icing and the piano playing.  

Concert pianist

First of many attempts at the Christmas card

Snow Tractor Rides

What we woke up to this morning!

This is for all my non-northern family and friends.  The first snow hit last night and it is still snowing as I type.  It's not even December yet!!!!  

Happy 7th Birthday Evan

Stairway laced with toys

Yesterday I was cleaning the main floor of our home trying to get ready for Thanksgiving.  It will just be our family around the table, but there are few things as relaxing as a clean home on a holiday around the house with family...so I was placing all the boys things that need to go back to their room on the stairs.  This is a ritual of ours since we live on four stories of house.  We always place them on the stairs and we are all supposed to carry something up whenever we head up the stairs, unfortunately this rarely happens and I usually have to assign them to clean the stairs when I'm splitting up duties.  Anyway, I looked over at the stairs while I was sweeping and the song that Jenette loved as a teen hit me hard.  We all liked it growing up, but now the words pierce deeply.  I am so thankful for my husband and my kids.  They are my life.  My father is always telling me not to blink.  I try to remember, but sometimes forget.  I pray that this weekend of thanksgiving I take in every moment of our family just being.  I hope you do too.

There are watercolour ponies

On my refrigerator door

And the shape of something

I don't really recognize

Drawn by careful little fingers

And put proudly on display

A reminder to us all

Of how time flies

Seems like endless mound of laundry

And a stairway laced with toys

Gives a blow by blow

Reminder of the war

That we fight for their well-being

For their greater understanding

To impart a holy reverence

For the Lord

But, baby, what will we do

When it comes back to me and you?

They look a little less

Like little boys every day

Oh, the pleasure of watching

The children growing

Is mixed with a bitter cup

Of knowing the watercolour ponies

Will one day ride away

And the vision can get so narrow

As you view through your tiny world

And little victories can go by

With no applause

But in the greater evaluation

As they fly from your nest of love

May they mount up with wings

As eagles for His cause

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We love you!!!!!

Mercy, Mercy ME!

So last night I got an invitation to go to a BeBo Norman/Mercy Me concert with some great friends from church. We ate at Panera before the show and all sat together and enjoyed the concert. I found that I kept giggling to myself throughout the concert because I didn't stand up once and neither did anyone else for that matter until the final song. I kept thinking, I need to get up and do something, but I didn't do anything. This is sharp contrast to the Toby Mac concert I went to several months back...where I stood for the entire concert except one song and thought then....I'm getting to old for this. So where does that leave me?

My spirit was willing, but my flesh was weak. What else in my life parallels this silliness? This is a question I'm sure to ponder over the next several weeks, I just wonder if I'll be standing or sitting as I sort it all out.

How often do you second guess yourself?

Do you remember what it was like being a teenager and thinking you've got the world pretty much figured out? Those days seem like lifetimes ago...as I age I found that I second guess myself a lot.

It's not like I'm making many life altering decisions, but the little ones seem to take more courage and thought than they use to. Does that mean I'm more mature in my thinking process or am I more apprehensive than ever before. Maybe a little of both?

Today I had to get Ethan vaccinated with his second MMR shot, we thought we'd done it last year when he started at Galesburg Christian, but hadn't. I had to tell Ethan as we pulled into the doctor's office parking lot that he was indeed there for a shot. The last 24 hours I have been pondering him getting the immunization. It's such a standard shot, but that 1 in a million still stands out to me. A little boy two houses down from where we lived in Jacksonville was one of those 1 in a million. Needless to say, every time any of the kids has had to get their shots, I go through the whole thing of second guessing it all.

On a less mental note, I have never gotten my hair colored before and second guessed myself right into the salon chair. I did it and now I keep looking in the mirror and wondering, did I make the right choice? Thank goodness it wasn't a heaven or hell decision, but still if I had the chance to relive it, would I have made the same choice?

Do you ever second guess? What about? Love to hear your input.

Time Flies

I know I say this every year (except for the year I waited to turn 16, so I could drive)... it just seems like this year has flown by so fast.

We have had a whirlwind of wonderful things in 2008, I just can't believe were almost to the middle of November. It seems like as soon as November 1st comes, you blink and you're into a new year. I was filling in our calendar for the rest of the year and we have something every single weekend.

My prayer for you and I is that we don't let time slip away from us. What do you do to shut out the noise? What do you do to stop time? How do you brand moments on your heart and the hearts of your loved one's so that they will last a life time? I'd love to hear about them.

We are planning to have a family night packed with lots of fun and remembrance. We are going to take down the family calendar and go through each month and talk about the neat things that God has allowed us to experience this year. Definitely not like its as monumental as crossing the Red Sea, but we have stones of our own to help our children remember what Christ has done in our lives. I don't know if this year has been difficult or pretty easy for you, but God is good all the time. I hope you find the time to reflect on His goodness and remember His grace.