Bucket List.

I recently read a 'bucket list' that one of my friends wrote. It listed over 100 things that she wanted to do before she died. I started wondering...what would be on my 'list'? I want to work towards things. I don't want my life to go by and then look back and realize that I didn't do the things I wanted to do. Soooo....

I wrote a list. 50 things I want to accomplish at some point in my life. I'm sure I will add to it as I think of things but I figure it's a good place to start. :) Since I just finished the list, 2010 is getting the short end of the stick. There are only four months left in this crazy whirlwind of a year, but I will accomplish what I can. And first on my list for this year: LEARN TO COOK! I bought this cookbook:

And I'm going to cook EVERYTHING in it before 2010 is over. :\

My mama and grandma are wonderful down-home, southern cooks. They can throw anything together and it tastes great! For some reason I didn't inherit that skill. I'm pretty sure my mama was so busy with six of us kids growing up that she didn't have time to teach us cooking skills. She was probably just trying to get the food purchased, cooked and put on the table for eight people three times a day! I did recently learn to cook my grandma's chocolate sheet cake and frosting - and it was pretty good - if I do say so myself! Of course it will never taste as good as hers did to me...but I'm pretty sure that's because she put some special 'Grandma Patsy' love into it. :) I'm excited about this new cooking adventure!

Most of the stuff on my list is pretty simple and probably a little nerdy...but it's my list right? I don't have huge, silly goals for my life. I just want to be a good person, share the love of Christ, help those that I can, live peacefully. I love this quote:

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...the leave the world a better place...to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Other things on the agenda for the remainder of this year: play my guitar in front of church and learn to drive standard.

I have already accomplished a few things on the list (ie: go on a mission trip out of the country, graduate college, adopt a world vision kid).

For 2011 I'm going to run a half marathon, plant (grow?) my own vegetables and HOPEFULLY go to Yellowstone National Park. I'm also going to start raising money to dig a well in a village through Living Water International.

Isn't this fun? I'm really excited about it. I would encourage you to write a list if you haven't already. Be realistic but set some goals and work towards them! Life is about living and it sure feels good to know that you accomplished some things you always dreamed of accomplishing...:)

So what's on your list? What are some things you want to accomplish while you are here? I'm dying to know....:)

Twice the Love.

The twins are actually here can you believe it?? After what feels like a lifetime of ups and downs...praying and waiting...false hopes...small victories. They were born on Thursday, July 29th. They were seven pounds each - big littles (as Farica would say)! I can't even explain what it felt like to see them laying there in the nursery - completely healthy. It's surreal. We have waited seven years for this day!

Grant Wesley - 7.0 pds 191/4"

Asher Wade - 7.0pds - 191/2"

From here on we will see them as a picture of God's grace to Dixie and Steven; to our family. They will walk around like little miracles; evidence that God is faithful and that He gives His children good gifts.

It has been so emotional and somewhat draining the past few days. I'm tired...excited...overwhelmed. But Sunday morning, during church, and Sunday night, during staff worship at camp, God kept bringing the same question to my mind: "If I didn't give you this, would you have loved me still? Trusted me still?"

It's easy to trust God when things are going good - like they are right now. It's easy to know that God loves us. He has given Dixie and Steven what they always wanted - two healthy little ones. Our miracles. But what if He didn't? What if He decided this is not what He wanted for their story? Would we love Him still; trust Him? Know that He is faithful? I know it's not right - but I struggle with this. If God doesn't give me what I so strongly desire will I be content anyway? Because here's the thing: God doesn't owe me ANYTHING. He has already given me so much more than I deserve. And even if He gave me nothing else, His death on the cross is MORE THAN ENOUGH. I trust God when things are going well and then get really frustrated and angry when things don't work out like I want them to.

Shame on me.

I have been blessed with so many good things in my life and I have the audacity to get angry when something doesn't turn out the way I think it should. The truth is, I don't need God plus money or God plus a nice house or a husband. God is sufficient. God plus nothing. If tomorrow He took away everything that I have - my family; my job; my health - I would still have Him - and that's more than enough.

But He chooses to bless us - that's the amazing thing. He CHOOSES to bless us; even when He doesn't have to; when we don't deserve it. And this week that blessing came in the form of two seven pound little guys. Now that's a great week...:)