Sometimes The 2 Year Old Knows Best.....

               Today, while Luke and I were outside. We, or should I say he, decided to go for a walk around the block. 
              As we were treading along, Luke stopped at every door along Main Street. First he would try the door nob (which just so happened to be locked every time), and then he would play on the (one) step that would happen to be in front of the door. At one particular door, there wasn't a step, just a little slope. So he would stop, run up to the door, then run back down, with a big grin on his face while yelling, "WEE!!!" 
              At first all I could think was, "what on earth are you doing?" But after the fist two times, I joined in, "WOO-HOO!!!" I found myself laughing with him. (Who knew running up and down a four foot slope could be so fun???) 
              After a while we continued down the street, came to the corner (finally), and continued down the next street. As we walked along, we had to stop at every cool car, as Luke would put it, to look at the doors and tires. 
             Then we came to an overgrown tree. The branches were hanging over just enough to touch the ground, and there just happened to be a telephone pole about four feet away. So, Luke would run through the tree branches, around the telephone pole, and back through the branches again. 
              When we finally continued along, we reached the next corner. Around this corner were a bunch of flowers, so we stopped to smell all the flowers (most of them were different verities of roses). 
             Then we made our way to the next corner, there were a bunch of older houses. They all had beautiful gardens and lots of trees. Luke and I walked along slowly just admiring the beautiful structures.  
             Then crossing the street,  because Luke was pretty sure there was something cool over there. It turned out he was right! We sat there for about ten minutes, with a duck! At fist Luke was afraid of it just like his mom and birds, but he got over it quickly. 
             When we started to leave, the little guard duck followed us across the fence line for as long as it could! 
              We then crossed the street again, and turned that final corner. As we came up to the cafe, Luke was getting pretty thirsty. So we went in to get him a drink. As I walked in , Laura asked if I could stay a little longer. I looked up at the clock, and it was ten minutes past four! Luke and I had been gone for an hour and ten minutes!


Quite often we rush through our lives, always hurrying to the next thing, and by the end of the day, we realise it's the end of the day. Today just flew by us again. They say slow and steady wins the race, I never realized how true it could be in life too. If we had just took a quick walk around the same old block, how much would we have missed? We need to learn to enjoy ourselves, and to enjoy the simple things in life!!! To renew the childlike wonder in us. We don't need everything to be extravagant to enjoy it! This life is short, and we never know when we'll take our last breath. I'm not saying lolly-gag in everything we do (laziness is not a virtue), but slow down when you have the time. Just enjoy living another day. Learn to be joyful and thankful with the simple things in life! Praise God in the good and bad. If we needed everything to be big to enjoy it, imagine how miserable we'd be (not to mention how miserable you'd make everyone around you). We just need to learn to take our time to smell the flowers, and have a little fun every once in a while!
- Taylor*
Psalm 16:11 You lead me in the path of life;
I experience absolute joy in your presence;
you always give me sheer delight.

Feathers and Flies

               It was so busy today! It seemed the second one person walked out, two more walked in. In other words, the door was open all day. Which let (you guessed it) flies in. 
               So here we are swatting flies all day (obnoxious), which meant we were continually washing our hands (all day). Which leads to running out of paper towels. So Brandi went into the office to get some more paper towels. 
               When she returned, not only did she not have any paper towels, but she looked horrified..... She rushed in, in an exasperated tone of voice said, "THERE'S A BIRD IN THE OFFICE!!!" Now, I don't know if you know anyone with a fear of birds, but I'll tell you right now, Brandi is one of them..... Which makes no sense at all considering the animals she has had, and loves to have ( snakes, lizards, dogs, and she especially likes rats). 
                To our luck Stewart was there, so he walked back into the office, caught the bird, and put it outside in less then ten seconds! I guess he was raised on a chicken farm, so he knows his birds. 
                Moral of the story, leave a few doors open, and Satan can get in (very easily). Sure, may just be a few flies here and there, but pretty soon it becomes really big scary birds! A few examples of flies could be secular music. Listening to it, you think, "Oh, it's no big deal." But pretty soon, as those words keep turning in your head, it isn't just a song anymore, it's the way you act outwardly. Before you know it, those flies have turned into birds. Another one is white lies. They may be small now, but they will keep getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger, to the point that you're trapped in the corner by an ostrich! My point is, is that people will see you for the things you do! Which means Satan will use the doors you left open to bring you down, and bring Christ' name down with you. We have to remember that we are God's witnesses. So my challenge is this, SHUT THOSE DOORS! Keep Christ in, and Satan out. No, we're not going to be perfect, but we can try to keep the flies out!

               - Taylor* James 1:14-18
But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Modest is Hottest (Sorry Guys, This One's For The Ladies;-)

                 It was five minutes after closing when Morgan walked in. I guess Laura was taking her to cheer practice soon. Anyways...... Denise was finishing up his coffee, so as soon as he left we could start cleaning up, and Morgan could get to cheer practice. As they were talking, Laura told him that she had to take Morgan to cheer. At this point he (Denise) asked if they were going home first, so Morgan could change into clothes that weren't so tight! That's when I realised that dressing modestly doesn't just protect us, it's also courteous to the men around us. We (ladies) don't usually to pay attention to how low our neckline is, or how tight our pants are. We just think the outfit is cute and comfortable. But guys minds are built differently, they are more visual. So when we wear clothes like that, we might as well be walking around in our underwear! I'm not saying wear big old baggy sweatpants everywhere you go! But dress more modestly. If your chest hangs out when you bend over the neckline is to low!!! If your butt talks while you walk, your pants are way to tight!!! Take some time (before you walk outside) to bend over in front of a mirror, and make sure that you're being modest! We (girls) all want to be pretty and attractive, but dressing skanky isn't going to do that. I mean, lets face it, we don't want to scare old men away, and we definitely don't want to attract perverts! So lets keep it clean!

- Taylor* 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.