Carrying Stones

"Today you will know that the living God is among you." Joshua 3:10

"'Take 12 stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up...' We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' Then you can tell them..." Josh. 4:3, 6-7

The Almighty God had already had His people cross over the Red Sea on dry ground and allowed the waters to swallow up their enemies. He fed them manna and quail in the middle of the desert. He had led them around by His presence in the day by a pillar of cloud and all night long too, by a pillar of fire. He made His presence known.

Yet, once again, for the next generation of Israelites, He made sure that they wouldn't forget His presence, His provision, His power. And so He told them to carry some rocks from the middle of a river which flooded at this time of year but that He held back once again...just for them.

Moving has been a little tougher than I thought it would be...on me. Jason is enjoying his job. Laney had a few days where adjusting to school was rough but otherwise, all 3 girls have done fabulously. I am so grateful.

But I miss my friends. I miss being around people who have become family to us in Dallas, being around those who know us well and love us well, and that we strive to know and love well in return. I really miss being in ministry. I know, I know....it's only been 2 1/2 weeks. But I miss that purpose in my life.

I don't cry everyday, and I do my best not to complain at all to those around me. However, I have cried into my mexi chip and dips from Bueno (which honestly taste better in Texas). There are moments everyday where I think to myself..."I just want to go home."

The Lord has placed many passages of Scripture on my heart and mind. Usually, late at night when I'm lying in bed. Probably, when a moment of "I just want to go home" has hit in my tired, more emotional state. One of the passages was this one. And so I am choosing to carry stones.

Stones that are big enough to be remembered. Stones that might be heavy to carry. Stones that will give Him glory and remind me that the living God is among me. Stones that I can remind myself of what He has done and where He has led. Stones I can one day tell my children and grandchildren about.

One stone...the Lord set change upon my heart well over a year and a half before this move even came. This is a stone of graciousness because I am a gal who loves stability and routine.

Another stone...the Lord literally dropped this job in Jason's lap. We didn't seek it out. We weren't prepared for it. This is a stone of guidance. Oh, how I would question even more this move if we had made this happen on our own.

Yet, another stone... the encouragement of other people. Even those closest to us, who would miss us the most, who cried tears with us over moving, have felt a peace and given us encouragement in the transition. My heart has needed this stone of confirmation from the Lord, given through His precious people, and our dearest friends.

I am praying for more stones. I am pretty sure that I'll still want to "go home" often over the next few months. Yet, I want to build a memorial. A memorial that belongs and points to Christ alone...in my heart, in my mind, in my life. A memorial that I can point back to and overflows a story of Him in my life and in the life of our family.

Even if they feel heavy at times, I will carry stones...and pray to do so with joy.

Halloween 2010

Ladies and gentleman...for your viewing pleasure...Tinkerbell, a gorgeous bride, and the cutest little pink poodle! "FiFi" barked so nicely and absolutely loved trick-or-treating this year. Her "twick o tweet" was more than adorable.

Tinkerbell was beyond cute and flew very fast to keep up with her big sister and new friends!

Pass the tissues, as I blink and just imagine her walking down the aisle with her daddy in a day coming quicker than I can even imagine. All we need is one Jesus-loving groom and another 15 years (or longer if you ask her daddy).

"FiFi" and her friend Scooby-doo (aka, Marshall):

You know we're living with MiMi when even the dog gets dressed up. Poor Buckner enjoyed this as much as it looks. no worries, it last about 3 1/2 minutes.

New friends above and below

Our first Halloween in Arkansas:

A little catch up

I really should be cleaning right now, but....that just isn't any fun.

The reality of us moving to Arkansas is becoming real. Actually, Jason started his job last week and the girls and I are heading up in the next few days. I am excited, and sad, and a bit nervous. There have been quite a few tears & part of today I had that anxious feeling in my tummy. However, the Lord's peace has prevailed throughout this journey.

A couple of weeks ago one of Jason's best friends from Seattle flew in to surprise Jase before he headed off to AR. It had been planned for 3 weeks and Jason had not even an inkling of it happening. On the way to the restaurant I had to keep myself from grinning from ear to ear so I wouldn't give anything away. Little did Jase know that I had a bag already packed in the back of the oh-so-cool mini-van. We ate dinner with my best friend and half way through in walked these guys... McKibben, Rusty, Snyder, Dave, my man & Chris

These are some of the best friends that Jason has ever had. These are men I prayed for my husband to have when he was 15 and long before we were even married. Jason was so surprised and still couldn't put the pieces together even after they walked in. After dinner they left and hung out with even more friends for the night. I love these men!

This past weekend I completed my first 5K. No, it's no marathon, but for me it's an accomplishment. It was something I had put down to accomplish this year and when my dear friend Lauren suggeested doing the Susan G. Komen run and having a Gracious Legacy team, I jumped on it! Like our shirts?

Here is almost our entire team. It really was a treat to run my first with these precious people. I can proudly say that I jogged the entire way, albeit not a neck-breaking speed! I am also happy to report that Gracious Legacy will continue here in Dallas and also have a branch up in the lovely state of Arkansas too.

Please keep us in your prayers (especially this mom who has developed the spiritual gift of crying over the last few years). We are so thrilled to see what the Lord has in store for us in this next chapter of life but it's also so hard to leave people we love so dearly!

Big News

Well, I know I need to start this off by saying that our BIG NEWS is not that we are expecting another sweet Mills baby. I am not pregnant. However, we are moving... and we are moving out of the great state of Texas.

I am thankful that the Lord has prepared my heart for so long for this upcoming adventure. Over a year and a half ago I remember feeling like He was putting change on my heart. We prayed a lot and waited really. Then last summer Jason really felt a desire for change too. He put out some resumes around DFW and also had his dad put some out too. Jase ended up interviewing for a company up in Arkansas several times last summer and then nothing came of it. Again, we waited and prayed, and started Gracious Legacy.

Randomly, the middle of August, we went to pick up our girls from Jason's parents in Rogers, AR. They normally spend a few days each summer by themselves up there. Well, we hadn't been there too long before a neighbor called over saying he saw our car and was wondering if Jase still might be interested in interviewing up in that area. His company was hiring and he already had called the gal doing the interviewing who agreed to meet and interview with Jason on that Saturday. We had to run out to get pants and shoes since Jason had only brought shorts and flip flops. The interview went well and over the next week and a half he had 2 phone interviews. The following week he was asked to come up and give a presentation. And three weeks ago today he was given a verbal offer.

We again, prayed. This is huuuuge for us. We have lived in Dallas for almost 11 years. When we moved here we hadn't been married quite a year, had no children, and moved from one apartment to another apartment. This is where our family has grown tremendously...in numbers of course, but also emotionally and spiritually. People here are like family to us. Still, we clearly hear God calling us to make this move. We are so excited. It's beautiful in Arkansas....heck, they actually have seasons there, but the good news is it's not drastic changes weather-wise. This warm weather girl couldn't handle being in snow for weeks and months on end. Plus, we will live by Jason's parents. It will be a blessing to be near the beloved Mimi and Papa D.

On the other end, we are so sad to leave the people here we love deeply. I have used quite a few tissues and even told people at church they might not see me wear mascara again until we move. I am so thankful to have God's direction in this and feel His presence. Otherwise, the emotions would probably be too much for me.

I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family. I have said many times over the past week that I have no idea any of the details other than that we are moving. I don't know where we will go to church, where we will end up living, what hopefully, part-time ministry position I might have, the schools the girls will go to, etc. Normally, this is a very uncomfortable position for me. But since I feel like we are in the center of God's will I'm okay to be on this ride where I don't have any idea what is ahead.

Please pray for everything that a move entails. An easy transition for our girls with sweet friendships to come quickly. That our home would sell quickly and for a great price. That we would end well here and love well until we leave. That we would be completely sensitive to the Spirit's leading on where to live, where the girls go to school, where I might work, etc. I love in Scripture where Christ is called the Author and Perfector of our faith. I am looking forward to seeing where this amazing Author has written for our lives to be. We appreciate your prayers.

And for the record, we will never be Arkansans...simply Texans living in Arkansas!

2 years ago today...

This time two years ago my baby girl was fresh out of open heart surgery. She had tubes coming out of her body in many different places. I was in the ER after fainting from seeing her in such a state. Yet, we were so grateful for God's graciousness of the outcome. Her heart was fixed and she was alive and on her way to great health.
I will never forget that time in our life. As I was praying over Reese before going to bed last night my mind flashed back to the night before her surgery when I was doing the same thing, praying. However, I was pleading the Lord for her life. As a mom, I have never been more scared. As a child of God, I had never felt God's peace so fully. It truly felt like I was being carried.

And so two years later, when we go back to this amazing hospital that holds a special place in our hearts, we also take Gracious Legacy bags, for families going through the exact same thing that we went through. We pray that it is a piece of Christ's love, graciousness, and peace to the families.

We won't ever forget the Lord's graciousness, and we want to leave it as part of our own legacy.

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

Jesus, I will never forget the way your hand felt that day. Praise be to You alone!

The Last Hoorah of Summer

The weekend before school started we headed to Tulsa. Jason and his dad play in a golf tournament every year raising money for cystic fibrosis, and a little boy in Arkansas, who has it. This year it fell on my birthday weekend. We decided to surprise the girls and take a little out of the way route on the way up there. The surprise stop: Norman, Oklahoma. Here we are about 30 minutes outside of city limits and Ashlyn is reading out loud their surprise. Wanna see how excited they were?
Wanna know why? Because we were going to have lunch with our favorite babysitter on the planet, Lauren. Lauren has watched the girls for the last two summers and they are absolutely in looove with her. Me too! She loves Jesus and my girls so well!

Lauren is an RA at OU and so the girls were uber excited (that means beyond excited for all you grammatically correct people out there) to go see her room!

Just making themselves at home on her bed.

Then we went onto Tulsa to stay at a hotel and see Mimi and Papa D.

That night I was treated to a fancy birthday dinner. Here I am with the love of my life. Not too shabby, is he?

Me and sweet Reesie:

Me and precious Ashlyn Jean (both a little blurry):

Me and giggle-box Laney Hope:

Reese loved the obnoxious birthday hat that Mimi gave me. When you press the purple candle it sings happy birthday to you with a voice that sounds like Alvin from the Chipmunks. She wore and pressed that candle over and over and over again throughout the weekend. I can't wait to pull it out for her birthday.

The Mills clan.

Summer 2010 was a good one!

...And now Reesie's Turn

Oh. My. Goodness! Can I just tell you how much this little girl melts my heart? And isn't she one of the cutest things you've ever seen in your whole life? This week it was cutie-patootie #3's turn to start back to school.
Seriously, all could be wrong in the world, and this grin would help right things again!

Reese got the amazing Miss Leslie. I am telling you....she's phenomenal. Laney had her a few yers ago and she is one of the most fun, creative, loving teachers I have ever met. Truly gifted by God....I am so excited Reese gets to share some time with her.

My sweet girl and I before I head off to church. We're praying sweet blessings for this school year for all 3 of the girls. And can I just tell you while you're still reading...I am so thankful that my God is present with my daughters even when I can't be. It brings comfort to my soul.