First, I apologize for not updating sooner. I have been a bit under the weather and just today have felt well enough to update you on what is going on here….
The Sunday before last (1-27) we had our first home group since my diagnosis and proceeding surgery. It felt so wonderful to entertain again, and to delve into Gods word with everyone. We have been doing the series Nooma which is a great building block for discussions. It lays the ground work in a basic way and depending on your crowd and their spiritual level you can go real deep or stay basic. We had praise and worship, followed by snacks and then watched the Nooma devotional “Lump”.
It really was a great time…
Then this past weekend, we took Easton and her two friends to the Revolve Tour which is put on by Women of Faith. Hawk Nelson was there, and OMGosh did Easton go wild. Easton broke her wrist last Thursday (I know, right!) and she just HAD to have the lead singer of Hawk Nelson sign her cast. (I thought Hawk Nelson was the name of the lead singer, but I was set straight with a huge eye roll). We adopted a a young girl in Chad named Nguemadjibaye through World Vision for $30 a month and Easton got a “golden ticket” to have Hawk Nelson, the entire band, sign one item. What would that one item be?? You guessed it, her green and black swirled cast on her right arm… You would have thought she had died and gone to heaven. But that is not the best part of the story, oh no. When Jason (the lead singer of Hawk Nelson) asked her how she broke her arm, and she replied “Playing Soccer”…. He said…… “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
Now my dad, her papa, said that if he were there he would give that boy a stern talking to, but I thought it was too cute to see her face turn beat red and hear her giggle about it the entire next day!
Here are some pictures of of the girls and the conference:
And Just to give you a peak of what Easton was doing the Entire.Time. Hawk Nelson was playing:
And…. Guess what her shirt says?
The conference was really great, and it wasn’t all about Hawk Nelson. The praise and worship team were phenomenal and the teaching was spot on. When Natalie Grant (yes she was there too!) sang “Better Hands” I just bawled. They had one session on “Are you a treasure or a target” which really ministered to my daughter. And one drama skit brought her tears about baggage. Her dad asked her if she was carrying baggage that she would like to lay down and through her tears she answered yes. He said if you don’t want to tell me what it is you don’t have to, but I would really like to help you with it. She told him that she was fearful that Emma and I were going to die, and that she thought about that all the time. (The picture of them together up there was when they were discussing this) Oh how that broke my husband and I’s heart. Mark told her that she could lay it at the foot of the cross, just like the girl did in the skit. That she didn’t have to worry about it or carry it anylonger, and that he knew how hard that was, but no matter what…. NO MATTER WHAT…. God would never never leave her side. Mark didn’t promise her that I or Emma wouldn’t die, that would be so unfair to her…. But he did promise her that no matter what happened, He would be there, and more importantly her heavenly father would be there.
Beautiful Father Daughter Moment….
I have had a tremendously busy 2 weeks, and am currently on my chemo cycle with a cold… but I just couldnt pass up telling you about all of the wonderful memories we made and all of the awesome moments we have had together.
God is good, all the time.
Oh Heather~
What precious memories Easton will have of these days, and I pray she truly was able to lay that baggage down and continue to lay down the baggage the enemy tries to saddle on us all.
At her age, it is paramount to learn that process of laying it at the feet of Jesus before she gets so used to carrying it she forgets what it feels like to be free of it.
I am so thrilled to hear of her “serious” time with Mark and for his honesty with her. That touched my heart as I read it.
Thanks for sharing the news with your family and the darling photos. Easton is sure one hip chicky! Love, Love the hairstyle and the cast. My Sweetcheeks would have loved the whole signing w/ HN, too, when she had her cast last summer. Hope she heals quickly and with no complications.
Praying for you as you go through this round of chemo, dear Heather.
Sending a hug!
How lucky is your daughter to have parents who didn’t just send her to an event like that….but went with her. And a dad to talk to about her fears. What a great moment.
And MOM–get with it about HN!!!! (I thought the same thing when I first heard about him….um them.)
what a beautiful, beautiful post…
laying baggage at the foot of the cross- i soooo needed that today, and just now laid mine (or is it lain, lay, lie). thank you and take care. Linda in Tampa
Another wonderful post! Your words speak volumes to me and my husband. I always let him know when you make new postings.
Take care!
Always checking in on you and your family. Blessings continuous and overflowing onto you.
xoxo
Beautiful, touching stories. Praying for you, Heather, and Easton. What a tough thing to go through but wonderful that you’ve pointed her to the Comforter! D
How very sweet! I’m so glad that Easton smiled all day
makes me smile, too!
Praying you through the chemo and cold. You are greatly loved by Him, ya know?
Love you much!
holly
What an awesome conference. And I LOVE Hawk Nelson, too…and I’m in my 30′s. =) Their music is just so fun.
Glad you’re feeling better and that you had fun with Easton!
What a precious, tender moment for a father and daughter. Thank you so much for sharing!
This is a great post! I saw info on the Revolve tour at the Women of Faith conference that I went to, and it looked like a fabulous deal. Saw Hawk Nelson last year opening for Jeremy Camp and loved them! Thought I was probably too old, but I was pleasantly surprised
Glad you are having some good times.
Easton is learning now what takes many of us years to figure out. What a precious moment for all of you.
How wonderful that your daughter actually let your husband know how she was feeling, sometimes it is so hard to get those words out. I love his response, there is so much that we just can’t deal with…giving it to God is the only way.
Your daughter and your husband both are amazing people, not that this surprises me. And I just have to say that Easton is absolutely beautiful. I love her haircut — you can just tell from the things you say about her and even a certain look about her in photos that she is her own person, which I think is pretty rare in girls her age these days.
Well done, parents.
xoxo
aren’t daughters a trip?
glad you had this wonderful event for her.
God is blessing you
O how precious for Easton. Praising God that Mark was here togo to the foot of the cross with her and comfoort her with God’s love and his.
I am so happy to hear about your Home fellowship and that sense of love and joy filling your home that comes from the gift of hospitality.
Holding you before the King.
Because of Jesus, Bobbie
Easton has a wonderful, caring heart. That is a gift. What a heavy load she carries as she is so concerned about her sister and her Mom. Mark is a wonderful Dad in explaining that God will ALWAYS be by her side – no matter what. God Bless your entire family.
Betty in Oklahoma
THANK YOU, for your site. I am still reading through everything and catching up. You are in my prayers and I will say, your testimonies have left me a little teary eyed, but grounded to how precious life really is. Thank you for your love for Jesus. I am due with my 8th child and Emma’s story is touching, very heart gripping. In Christ Love
Tina
Looks like it was a great time. What a wonderful family you have. Brings tears to my eyes.
What a great post on the precious father-daughter time. Not every girl is so blessed to have a father like Brien. Praying for you to feel better in this round of chemo. By the way, have you thought of an air-tight container for that cast yet? You know Easton is not going to want to part with it.:) Praying for all of you today and I love you.
Laurie in Ca.
Oh what precious gifts for her to receive that day! The concert, the autographs, the skit, the message straight from God to her and her Daddy being right there for her. Absolutely beautiful!
Yay God!
Thanks for sharing. I cried reading through this post as I thought of Easton and how wonderful that you and Mark direct her to the only One who can see her through! And ya, Hawk Nelson rocks!
*sniff* That was really powerful and I’m sure Easton is never going to forget her weekend!
Back to say I am sorry about saying a father like Brien in my post. I meant to say Mark. I had just been on another father-daughter story. Oh, I just need to slow down. Praying for you Heather, that you feel well.
Love you, Laurie in Ca.
Wow. As a Mama, your heart must be bursting with love and pride for your sweet girl.
Not to mention your husband!
I don’t post often but I sure do think of you and your family often.
May God bless you and your family.