These sweet girls already love books and reading!
They each have a Storybook Bible! So cute to see them "reading" together!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
All in the family
The other day I was holding Erica after she had been picked up from the nursery at church. She had her sippy cup with her that had her name, Erica Massey, written on it. I started telling her that she has a last name and it's Massey. We went over it a couple of times, with me saying, "Erica Massey" and Erica repeating after me. I decided to reinforce the lesson by going through the rest of her family's names.
Me: "Mommy's name is Jeanette Massey."
Erica: "Jeanette Massey"
Me: "Daddy's name is Russell Massey."
Erica: "Russell Massey" (spoken with a slight and very cute lisp)
Me: "And Mary Lane is Mary Lane Massey."
Erica: "Mary Lane Massey."
Then she turned back to me (and remember, I'm holding her up in my arms) and points to me and said, "And You Massey!" with a big smile on her face. Talk about melting your heart!
And then the lesson continued as I had to try to explain that I am Nanette Ryan, not Massey. Oh boy!
Then today, I was telling that story to someone in Erica's earshot. She waited until the cute ending and then looked at me and said, "Nanette Ryan Massey." She's getting it . . . sort of.
Me: "Mommy's name is Jeanette Massey."
Erica: "Jeanette Massey"
Me: "Daddy's name is Russell Massey."
Erica: "Russell Massey" (spoken with a slight and very cute lisp)
Me: "And Mary Lane is Mary Lane Massey."
Erica: "Mary Lane Massey."
Then she turned back to me (and remember, I'm holding her up in my arms) and points to me and said, "And You Massey!" with a big smile on her face. Talk about melting your heart!
And then the lesson continued as I had to try to explain that I am Nanette Ryan, not Massey. Oh boy!
Then today, I was telling that story to someone in Erica's earshot. She waited until the cute ending and then looked at me and said, "Nanette Ryan Massey." She's getting it . . . sort of.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Encourage one another
"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Hebrews 10:23-25, New Living Translation
Our church is in the middle of a 15 day season of prayer for church renewal. Today's passage was from Hebrews 10 (see above) and the part about encouraging one another struck a chord with me.
Everyone has something that they could use encouragement about. And God gives us all opportunities to encourage someone else. In fact, in my experience, when I have followed the leading to call or write a note or give a hug or pray for/with someone, it has always given me a boost and a blessing, not just the one God put on my heart.
So, I'd encourage you to think about people you know. Is there someone (or many someones) who God is nudging you to reach out to? Here's who it might be:
This list is not exhaustive. Everyone needs encouragement. Everyone needs compassion. Everyone needs to be reminded that God's promises are true and that He can be trusted.
The cool thing is that I see encouragement happening all the time, whether on Facebook, or in person, or just hearing someone tell about how they were encouraged by a friend. It's a beautiful thing to see.
My friend who is going through an incredibly tough season walking with her husband through cancer wrote on their blog:
Be encouraged to encourage!
Our church is in the middle of a 15 day season of prayer for church renewal. Today's passage was from Hebrews 10 (see above) and the part about encouraging one another struck a chord with me.
Everyone has something that they could use encouragement about. And God gives us all opportunities to encourage someone else. In fact, in my experience, when I have followed the leading to call or write a note or give a hug or pray for/with someone, it has always given me a boost and a blessing, not just the one God put on my heart.
So, I'd encourage you to think about people you know. Is there someone (or many someones) who God is nudging you to reach out to? Here's who it might be:
- a first-time mom (or a mom with a toddler and a newborn)
- a college student living away from home
- a person who is dealing with a tough or broken marriage
- a caregiver to a loved one with a chronic illness
- someone who lives alone
- a busy mom with school-aged kids who is pulled in many different directions
This list is not exhaustive. Everyone needs encouragement. Everyone needs compassion. Everyone needs to be reminded that God's promises are true and that He can be trusted.
The cool thing is that I see encouragement happening all the time, whether on Facebook, or in person, or just hearing someone tell about how they were encouraged by a friend. It's a beautiful thing to see.
My friend who is going through an incredibly tough season walking with her husband through cancer wrote on their blog:
"We are thankful every moment for the people who walk with us through this time, but I was reminded to be especially thankful for your prayers and your faith. If the Lord chooses to heal Emmett, it will not be because of our faith, but because of the faithful love and prayers of our friends. We hear specifically each day about how someone has carried us in prayer to the Lord, and my heart rejoices each time at your great faith. The way in which we carry each other’s burdens to the Lord in prayer directly affects the outcome of each of our lives. Does that encourage you to pray for other people? I am certainly encouraged to pray specifically, fervently, and boldly, and not just for us, for all the people I know who have burdens. I suppose that is pretty much everyone, huh?"
Be encouraged to encourage!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
2011 Scripture Memory #2
Well, I realize that I am a day late in posting my second memory verse, but I was "unplugged" for most of the weekend while at a scrapbooking retreat. Something exciting is that one of my friends who is committing to memorize scripture this year, and who was also with me on the retreat, quoted two verses for me that she had been memorizing. I am so proud of her and also inspired to do a better job of memorizing my verses this year. I will confess that I did not quote my first memory verse to her in its entirety.
But, since this is an ongoing project for the year, I will continue to work on getting 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to stick in my brain (and in my heart), and I will work on adding my next verse as well.
For verse #2, I have chosen James 1:22 in a modern translation (in an attempt to get it to stick in my brain better):
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." James 1:22, New Living Translation
My thinking behind choosing this verse began with things that I have been learning in Bible studies about living in moderation related to food, and then I was reminded of this verse in a sermon preached by one of the pastors at our church, Jason Miller, based on the parable about building your house on the rock from Luke 6. Basically, I can have lots of head knowledge about lots of things, including the Bible, but unless I actually DO what the Bible tells me to do, including to BELIEVE it, the knowledge will be about as good for me as having a house on the sand when the stormy waves hit the shore. I have to be more than just a hearer of the word, because I need to build my life on its firm foundation, JESUS CHRIST (the ROCK).
And in the areas of discipline that I need in my life, including eating moderately, getting adequate exercise and rest, and memorizing scripture so that I have tools to be healthy physically and spiritually, if I am just an encyclopedia of knowledge about various subjects, but don't actually DO what I know to do, then I am just fooling myself (and acting like a fool).
I've been excited to have some friends tell me that they have joined me in this challenge to memorize scripture this year, so if you'd like to know more about what we're doing, you can read this post, which will also link you to Beth Moore's post about this whole thing.
But, since this is an ongoing project for the year, I will continue to work on getting 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to stick in my brain (and in my heart), and I will work on adding my next verse as well.
For verse #2, I have chosen James 1:22 in a modern translation (in an attempt to get it to stick in my brain better):
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." James 1:22, New Living Translation
My thinking behind choosing this verse began with things that I have been learning in Bible studies about living in moderation related to food, and then I was reminded of this verse in a sermon preached by one of the pastors at our church, Jason Miller, based on the parable about building your house on the rock from Luke 6. Basically, I can have lots of head knowledge about lots of things, including the Bible, but unless I actually DO what the Bible tells me to do, including to BELIEVE it, the knowledge will be about as good for me as having a house on the sand when the stormy waves hit the shore. I have to be more than just a hearer of the word, because I need to build my life on its firm foundation, JESUS CHRIST (the ROCK).
And in the areas of discipline that I need in my life, including eating moderately, getting adequate exercise and rest, and memorizing scripture so that I have tools to be healthy physically and spiritually, if I am just an encyclopedia of knowledge about various subjects, but don't actually DO what I know to do, then I am just fooling myself (and acting like a fool).
I've been excited to have some friends tell me that they have joined me in this challenge to memorize scripture this year, so if you'd like to know more about what we're doing, you can read this post, which will also link you to Beth Moore's post about this whole thing.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
A snowy day
Actually, it's been a snowy week, but these pictures were taken on the first snowy day of 2011 (Monday, January 10). I was given a snow day from work and Daniel was out of school, so in the afternoon, we made the trek over to the Massey's house to witness Mary Lane's first snow experience (she was sick when it snowed in December, so she didn't get to go outside and play). It was cold, but worth the effort of layering up and stuffing the girls into their snow gear. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
*I don't know why Blogger won't post my vertical pictures the right way, but those two shots were too good to leave off. I'll figure it out someday and fix them.
*I don't know why Blogger won't post my vertical pictures the right way, but those two shots were too good to leave off. I'll figure it out someday and fix them.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Debut
I started to call this post, "Sister Saturday: Brother Edition," but I didn't think the sister part would be well-received by the guys in this video. That being said, I just had to show you a debut of Daniel and his friend (more like a brother), Sean, and their first performance of a song they wrote together. They performed it at the Youth Night of the Arts at our church on Friday night. I think the song is simply called, "Track 1," so we can all stay tuned for more tracks in the future!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A charming gift
My mother put a lot of creativity and thoughtfulness into the gifts that she gave to me and my sister for Christmas. One of the things she gave each of us was a charm bracelet made from charms that she and my grandmother had collected over the years. I hate to single out a favorite gift, but this one was so special, it deserves top billing!
Along with the bracelet she gave us a list of what each charm on our bracelet represented or gave the history of it. As you will see from the list below, she chose each charm carefully and lovingly divided them between both of her daughters (I added some side notes in italics):
Charms Collected by Your Mom
Given to Nanette
Christmas 2010
1. Girl silhouette from Maw-Maw's grandchildren bracelet
2. "Try God" charm bought at Tiffany's; a gift from your dad to your mom
3. New York World's Fair 1964-65 (my parents lived on Long Island during that time)
4. United States Military Academy (we had friends who served as campus ministers at West Point and my dad would sometimes preach at the church that was held on campus)
5. Drama Glasses; reminiscent of your drama/communication skills
6. Whale from Hawaii (my parents took a trip to Hawaii for their 25th anniversary and I lived in Hawaii for three months after graduating from college)
7. Epsilon Alpha Gamma: represents the Hypation Literary Society your mom was a part of at Carson-Newman College
8. Maine; visited by your mom during the 60s
9. "We love 'Ancy," given to your mom by Vander and Jane Warner in appreciation for her babysitting Sherri and Vanda. They called her "Ancy."
10. Maryland; birthplace of your mom, Jeanette and you
11. Piano (our family has almost always had a piano and my sister and I took piano lessons for several years)
12. Trumpet (I started to learn how to play trumpet in the 5th grade band, but didn't last longer than six months)
13. Blue Bonnet from Texas, where your mom went to seminary
14. Women's Missionary Union of Maryland; where your mom was employed from 1961-1964. They owned Camp Wo-Me-To where you spent some summer weeks at camp (and as a counselor)
Along with the bracelet she gave us a list of what each charm on our bracelet represented or gave the history of it. As you will see from the list below, she chose each charm carefully and lovingly divided them between both of her daughters (I added some side notes in italics):
Charms Collected by Your Mom
Given to Nanette
Christmas 2010
1. Girl silhouette from Maw-Maw's grandchildren bracelet
2. "Try God" charm bought at Tiffany's; a gift from your dad to your mom
3. New York World's Fair 1964-65 (my parents lived on Long Island during that time)
4. United States Military Academy (we had friends who served as campus ministers at West Point and my dad would sometimes preach at the church that was held on campus)
5. Drama Glasses; reminiscent of your drama/communication skills
6. Whale from Hawaii (my parents took a trip to Hawaii for their 25th anniversary and I lived in Hawaii for three months after graduating from college)
7. Epsilon Alpha Gamma: represents the Hypation Literary Society your mom was a part of at Carson-Newman College
8. Maine; visited by your mom during the 60s
9. "We love 'Ancy," given to your mom by Vander and Jane Warner in appreciation for her babysitting Sherri and Vanda. They called her "Ancy."
10. Maryland; birthplace of your mom, Jeanette and you
11. Piano (our family has almost always had a piano and my sister and I took piano lessons for several years)
12. Trumpet (I started to learn how to play trumpet in the 5th grade band, but didn't last longer than six months)
13. Blue Bonnet from Texas, where your mom went to seminary
14. Women's Missionary Union of Maryland; where your mom was employed from 1961-1964. They owned Camp Wo-Me-To where you spent some summer weeks at camp (and as a counselor)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011 Scripture Memory #1
Happy New Year! And I just have to say that I think it's cool that today's date is 1-1-11 (I get excited over little things like that).
If you read my post the other day, you will remember that I have decided to be publicly accountable (on this blog) to memorizing 24 scripture verses this year. I am doing it at the suggestion of Beth Moore, and you can read more about it here.
For #1, I have chosen a verse really two) that I actually kind of have in my memory already, but as I have contemplated over what verse I need to memorize first, this one kept coming up. I think it will help me in many different areas of my life and want to put into practice what the last part of verse five says to do.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, ESV
If you'd like to join me in this challenge to memorize 24 verses in 2011, please leave a comment letting me know what verse you've chosen. I will commit to pray for you and ask for your prayers for me as I work on this throughout the year.
If you read my post the other day, you will remember that I have decided to be publicly accountable (on this blog) to memorizing 24 scripture verses this year. I am doing it at the suggestion of Beth Moore, and you can read more about it here.
For #1, I have chosen a verse really two) that I actually kind of have in my memory already, but as I have contemplated over what verse I need to memorize first, this one kept coming up. I think it will help me in many different areas of my life and want to put into practice what the last part of verse five says to do.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, ESV
If you'd like to join me in this challenge to memorize 24 verses in 2011, please leave a comment letting me know what verse you've chosen. I will commit to pray for you and ask for your prayers for me as I work on this throughout the year.
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