Friday, August 29, 2008

The Burning Bush

Anyone who has talked to me this week knows it has been a long one!!!! I have half joked all along that if God has been trying to teach me a lesson then He is going to have to put a burning bush in my path for me to get it!!! Today, He did just that.........
After dropping off the kids this morning, I decided I should go home and get the house picked up since I am working this weekend. (I always feel better when I can at least see the floor) Good use of my time, right? Anyway, I got home and it was too quiet so I decided I needed music to get me going.....only finding a working CD player can be challenging now that Clayton likes to take things apart. :) The radio...too much talking.....then I thought about the blogs that I visit with music.....good idea.....searched until I found something upbeat...put in the ponytail.....rolled up the sleeves....it was time to get serious!!!!!
I started picking up...then cleaning....and then it was scrub time in the kitchen.....and then I felt so convicted!!! God started working on my heart in a way that is hard to describe....as I was SCRUBBING the TOP of the FRIDGE (I'm telling you...it had to be God....I never go up there) I started thinking about all of the ugly in my heart...all the things that I need to clean out to make myself more attractive and usable....(who knew there could be 3 pairs of scissors on top on the fridge?? Hard to use them if you can't find them, huh?) That is when I realized my 10 year old had just taught me a lesson.....I have used the Colossians 4:6 verse as my goal only to realize that I need to work on my heart first.....just because it doesn't come out of my mouth doesn't mean it is not in my heart. New goal: Luke 6:45b "For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks." I can't ask of my children what I don't have myself. The burning bush!!!!!
Instead of 3 hours of cleaning house.....it was 3 hours of cleaning house and heart, prayer, and praise. But best of all peace!!!!! That is what I needed....all week I have felt like I've been swimming up stream....trying to keep my chin up and not be upset by things I can't control but without peace.....it was impossible!!! I am so thankful God had time to teach me a lesson today....I can look at car problems and dryer malfunction as things that got my attention this week to a much bigger problem that was going on inside of me. It was a wonderful morning.....Now......I wonder what lesson I might learn if I start cleaning the garage? Another day......Right now I'm praying I have a dryer working by bedtime....a public laundromat was a humbling experience this week!!!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

I am going to have to write a book!!!!!

I love the sound of excited voices coming in the house after the bus brings Daniel and Rebecca Ann home......I can tell before they are all the way in the house what kind of day it has been.....only today the joke was on me!!!!!! It was Daniel in first grinning from ear to ear.....I thought he must have some confession (sounds better than tattle tale) to make about his sister......he was so excited!!!! He ran up and gave me a big hug and then said "LOOK!!!!" Can anyone guess WHAT I was looking at????? His very first ZIT!!! He even knew the word....I was speechless...but I had to just laugh. As Sara Grace would say...."It almost cracked my head off!!" (that was for you Lauren) Love that big boy!!!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

You just gotta laugh.......

Over breakfast this morning, Sara Grace and I were talking about what we wanted to do today.....you know, just the usual chatter from the very happy four year old who lives here :) Anyway, I really think seeing Rebecca Ann Sunday night has really interested her and today she announced that she is "NEVER getting baptized...NO WAY." I didn't panic....just thought she probably didn't quite understand....and that is when I nearly choked on my muffin!!! She announced that it "wasn't very nice for that man (Lane--one of our ministers) to get all those people in the pool and not let them wear their goggles" I love that girl....she keeps me laughing all the time!!!!!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Grandma Time!!


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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
We had an awesome weekend.....another sweet memory was Clayton asking Grandma Cauthen (his great grandma) to read his favorite book to him. How awesome it is to see the kids with her and to realize how blessed we are to have so many people who love us so much....Thanks Grandma and Aunt Marcene for coming to GA for a special weekend and for "making memories" with us!!! We love you!!!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

A Sunday to Remember

What an awesome way to start a new week!!! Rebecca Ann was baptized tonight!!! I have so many memories over the years that are so special and this is certainly one of them!!! Just to sit and think about what this decision means for her......and how strange it is that the time has gone by so quickly!!! It seems like only a few days ago that she was learning the words to Jesus Loves Me and now she is able to understand what that really means!!!!! Awesome!!!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

End of Summer Fun!!!


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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
It has been a busy end of summer for the Goolsby's.....Daniel is away at FlipFest. It is a really neat gymnastics camp in Tennessee. He is spending hours in the gym, hanging out boys from the team, there is a ropes course, dance night, haunted hikes, and best of all unlimited caffeine!!! I reallly thought maybe he was missing me as the phone rang Monday morning and woke me up...it was so sweet to hear "Hey Mommy." With one eye open I asked him if he had slept well and was sad to hear "No." My heart was just starting smile thinking about how much he must miss all of us only to have him snap me back to reality with the real reason....THREE COKES at 9:45 p.m.!!!! He makes me laugh!!!!! :) Guess I better loosen up on this boy before his 1st night away at college, huh?



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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
Rebecca Ann enjoyed a day with Rebekah Grace her friend who moved to Louisiana. These girls only see each other a couple of times a year and it is fun to see them pick right up where they left off. It was a day full of giggles!!!!!



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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
And then there is my Sara Grace.......my sweet girl who has a laugh that is contagious and who can talk her brother and the neighbor into anything!!!!!



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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
Clayton is bowling!!!!! This was sooooooooo funny!!! I am sure we provided tons of entertainment today!!!!

Friday, August 1, 2008

August 1, 2008


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Originally uploaded by Goolsby Gallery
For everyone who knows me well it will come as no surprise that my sweet husband is video chatting with me from the living room (while he does accounting homework) to help me get started with this blog. I hope that it is a good way to keep in touch with family and friends. The telephone seems to be a luxury these days for me...I have to hide to be able to talk to those I love the most!!! And I rarely get to share what life is really like on any given day. Anyway.....this is the down and dirty at the Goolsby's!!!
For my first entry (yes...Lee did the July entry) I wanted to intro everyone to "the girls" ...Melissa and Karen. These are the girls that I went to Pensacola with and came home with a tattoo!!!! Most importantly they make me a better wife and mommy....Proverbs 31 lived out today.....we just went to New Orleans and had a blast...hopefully it won't be 3 years before I see them again...I love you guys!!! Are we really thinking 1/2 marathon in Jacksonville???? I better start training now!!! :0)