(The beautiful waterfront @ Beaufort, SC)

At the young age of 10, Jesus saved my soul.  I was thankful for the gift of salvation.  I wanted to go to heaven.  I wanted to be saved from an eternity in Hell.  But deep down, I was afraid of God.  I wanted to be good.  I wanted to “behave” to please Him and my parents.  But He wasn’t my best friend.  He saved my soul but it wasn’t until I was 16 that He won my heart.  At the age of 16, I fell in love with Him.  I fell in love with His word.  He became my best friend.  He became my joy.  My peace.  He was my comfort, the one I depended on.  Have you had an experience like that with Jesus?  Cause if you had, you’d know.  You would never be the same!  I was never the same!

So many times we as Christians become lethargic.  We burn out and we’re living lives no different than those who don‘t know Him.  We need to fall in love with Jesus.  

We are guilty of “going through the motions,” “business as usual,” and boredom.  Being a Christian is not boredom.  Never ever boredom!

When we stop spending time with God, it is noticeable, it comes out in our attitudes.  If we don’t spend time with God that day, we know it. If we don’t spend time with God for a couple of days, our family begins to notice. If we don’t spend time with God for about a week, everybody else in our lives notices. It comes out in our attitude because we’re sharp, we’re not loving, we’re critical, we’re impatient, we can be cranky.  But when we are filled with love it pushes all those things out the back door. The only way you get that love is spending time with Jesus.

Let's live the rest of our lives serving God's purposes.  Let's refuse to waste anymore time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, or faithless worrying.  Let's do the best we can with what we have for Jesus today. 

If you live with a 15 month old....

There'll be mouth kisses.  Climbing.  Mess making.  Sweet jibber jabbers.  Silly giggles and squeals.  Big brother squishing.  Big sisters' spoiling.  Da-da loving.  "Eeese" (please) sweet talking (works every time).  Baby curls. 

Big boy eating.  Milk with a straw.  Outside exploring.  iPod swiping.  Hide and seek.  Un, doo, eeee (one, two three)!  Fewer naps.  Early bedtimes.  Early good mornings. 

Socks and shoes on.  Socks and shoes off.  Socks and shoes hunting.  Fit throwing (everybody has those days, lol).  Backyard swinging.    Trampoline jumping. 

Bath time loving.  Bath time splashing.  After bath naked run.  Bedtime snuggles.  More mouth kisses. 

I blinked and it was time for his sixth birthday cake.

He holds the door for me and his sisters.

He likes math most and reading less.

Basketball, bicycles, and swimming are his favorite outside play.

He loves to challenge his dad to a wrestling match.

He lets his little brother win wrestling matches, for now.

He thinks it's silly that his mom doesn't like wrestling. 

Trenttribe.com is a memoir for our kids.  I picture them at 30 and try to write the stories and thoughts I want them to know.  And then some things I just think they'll laugh their tails off about.  Like this one:

Big families don't get invited to dinner very often, for obvious reasons.  A couple months ago some dear sweet friends invited us over for dinner.  And we couldn't eat.  We were in the midst of a fast we do at the start of the New Year.  The Chief privately and humbly explained the situation and they graciously offered to have us over and feed our kids. Sweet!

Fast forward.  A couple weeks ago the same friends invited us over for dinner.  Josiah woke up that morning and threw up.  And dinner was canceled. 

Fast forward again.  One evening last week, we were at home.  Literally doing nothing.  (Nothing = cleaning the kitchen, doing the supper dishes, laundry, changing diapers...) My cel vibrates.  I see that I have a missed call from those same friends. As soon as I utter the names the chief's face turns kinda white and in this "oops" tone he says, "We're suppose to have supper at their house tonight."  And I had no idea and we had just ate and Katie had a friend at our house and we were suppose to be there at 6:00 and it was 6:30 and they live 40 minutes away.  

They will NEVER EVER invite us to dinner again. 

(the guilty parties)

(The Chief was bombarded with birds at a recent trip to the zoo.)

I was sharing with the Chief over breakfast about a certain prayer concern I have been praying for someone at their request.  I was feeling frustrated to still be praying that same thing because I believe that I serve a powerful living God who hears and answers prayers.  I can't help wondering if maybe God has something else (something better) in mind for their life?

"A stagnant life will produce stagnant prayers. Prayer is mobile and empowers the vision." - The Chief

The Chief is so God's gift for me.  He made the above statement to me in response to that conversation.  I believe he is on to something.  I think we can get stagnated in our lives.  We get stuck in ruts praying the same things over and over.  But.  Maybe God wants to move us in an entirely different direction.  Maybe we are so caught up in what we've been persuing we can't see the answers God is providing?  So, if it seems like God isn't answering prayer, we should try praying a different prayer.

What say you?

...at Christmas when I think of the birth of our Savior.  His mother, Mary.  His father, Joseph.  I am just undone.  It is an emotional and deeply spiritual time which immediately begins to point toward the cross.  Advent turns my thoughts to the cross.  To Easter.  After all, that's why he came.  That's why he was born.  He was born to die.  All for me.  All for you.  For our sins. 

Easter weekend was wonderful.  We had a wonderful celebration of the victory He won!  Our church worship team did a phenomenal job (they are so anointed) with the worship songs and led us into His presence.  My husband gave an awesome sermon!  My fave quote,

"Satan can't destroy the seed in us because we were given authority over him through the power of the resurrection."

It's a new week and a new month!  Hopefully everybody is beginning to see signs of spring!

My little guy knows how to relax and enjoy spring.  He loves strolling in the stroller.  If the weather is warm enough, the shoes and socks are off with those feet kicked up.  Spring '13 has not been early like our other springs in the Lowcountry.  No March strawberries.  No early pool opening.  Lots of rain.  Ponds that were empty are now overflowing.  Spring may be late but it is coming.  I got an email from our strawberry farm that said they are hoping the strawberries will be ready this weekend! Yay!  Hopefully before the month is out we'll be in flip-flops and cleaning our pool!  I hope you had a wonderful Easter and I hope you are having an abundantly blessed Tuesday! 

The toddler hunt was precious.

The movie and movie snack packs were enjoyed.

Prizes were awarded!  (Every single kid won something.)

The gospel was shared in an illustration using the glowing eggs. 

The glow sticks must be broken before their lights shine.  Then they are placed in an empty egg.  The glowing eggs shine into the darkness overcoming the light.  The more eggs that shine the more darkness is overcome.  Jesus' body was broken and placed in an empty tomb. When we accept him in our empty hearts, his light shines through us!

Everyone left with glowing baskets and bags of candy. 

It was epic. 

Today marks the 5th birthday/anniversary of my blog.  When I decided to start blogging, I wondered how long I would keep it going.  I'm still writing! Hooray!  What began as a mini-experiment is now a part of my life.  Something that has become important enough to me that I try to post at least a couple times a week. 

TrentTribe.com is my testimony.  It is one way I will make known to my children the works of God.  It's a journal, a recording of the faithfulness and provisions of God for the future generation.  It is a journal of what is happening in life.  It will be valuable to us as a family in the future. 

Psalm 78:5-8
"For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded the fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set it's heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God. "

Blogging holds me accountable.  If I tell y'all I'm going to do something, it makes me accountable to follow through.  Most of all, I hope my friends will find encouragement.  We all need it don't we?  This mothering business, wife work, and life livin' can be pretty tough sometimes.  I hope we, though sometimes weary and faint, can find refreshment in each other.

I am so happy to have stayed in touch with old friends while gaining new friends and acquaintances.  Thanks for being here. 

Often times in life we find ourselves in difficult situations.  Enduring great grief or stress.  Our tendencies are to withdraw.  Our tendencies are to isolate ourselves because we just don't feel like doing the things we've done.  We just don't feel like participating in the things we've been a part of.  We're hurting.  We feel forgotten, abandoned, and cheated. 

Matthew 16:24-25 says,

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

The Message translation says it this way,

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?"

That is some messed up mathematical equations!  Lose your life = saving your life.  Self-sacrifice = finding yourself.  Giving more = having more.  It doesn't add up but it's true.  When your instinct is to withdraw, dig down deep and give more of yourself.  Immerse yourself even more in doing for others and ministering to others.  You have needs?  Meet the needs of others.  Then watch God meet your needs.  You have hurt?  Help others in their hurt.  God will heal your hurt.  You feel unloved?  Love others.  God will love you and bless you with loving relationships. 

We just want to be happy but we don't know how to find happiness.  If you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your faith, your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work, and do the very best you can, happiness will find you. 

I love this quote from Barbara Johnson author of Laughter from Heaven,

We should not arrive at death's door all prim and proper in a pretty and well-preserved body.  Instead we ought to arrive breathlessly, skidding broadside through the pearly gates, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "Wow!  What a ride!"

 

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."  Hebrews 10:35-36

Are you enduring a great fight right now?  Is the enemy determined to shipwreck your confidence?  You may be tempted to quit the fight and sink in despair but our Father is so full of love for his children he can't be stopped from bringing something out of nothing.  All it takes is one word from him and everything changes in an instant.  That's all it takes with the Lord.  He speaks one word and suddenly everything is transformed.  No matter what you're going through.  Give him your total confidence.  Hold on and don't give up.