Life just keeps rolling on!

Time just keeps flying by! I find myself looking at Luke each day in amazement-- He is just getting SO big! I know that all parents feel that way, and everyone warned us that it would happen, but it is still such an incredible thing to experience. Life just keeps rolling on!

He has no interest in crawling yet! He is content to sit on the floor and play with his toys. His friend Bo, who was born a week later on Feb. 11th, is already crawling all over the place and even pulling up on things. I honestly am in no hurry for Luke to hit this milestone because I realize that my whole world will change when he becomes mobile! He will hit that stage soon enough, and I want to savor the days I have left of him being dependent on me for transportation!

We are making plans now to finally get the bonus room finished out as a playroom for him. It has been wasted, unused space up until now, but I am sure it will become a valuable play area for Luke soon. I can't wait to get it all fixed up for him with toy storage and a huge bookshelf for all of his books and a table and chair set for future craft projects!!! I am such a nerd when it comes to having visions of decorating! I just love it! The one drawback is that once I get the vision, I want it to become a reality ASAP-- I get so excited that I want to start work on all aspects NOW-- I am not very patient about doing things in stages....

The ZOE conference begins in two days! I am SO excited about this year. I have been praying every day and really trying to be mentally and spiritually focused and prepared more than I even have in years past. I have SO much to be thankful for this year and I want to offer that hope and joy to those who are coming to the conference who might not be in the same place. As far as the rest of the group goes, we had the best time of rehearsal and prayer last week. We are having a big prayer time tomorrow night for all of those involved in the ZOE ministry. It should be a truly special time for all of us.

I know I have blogged before about those guys, but I just love them to death! They are truly family to me! I can't imagine singing with a better group of people. When I think about all of the worship leaders who will be here this weekend for the conference who are trying to put their own praise teams together..... it is just an overwhelming thing to ponder. I know that they are bogged down with so many issues that they have to face-- I know that we face many of those same issues at Woodmont and at Otter Creek.... When they look to us-- the ZOE worship team-- as an inspiration and maybe somewhat of a pattern for what they are trying to achieve, it almost seems unfair, because we are SO not typical as far as praise teams go. Meaning-- we have sung together for nine years-- we have traveled together, experienced times of tragedy and loss together, times of answered prayers and joy together.... I just don't know how the average praise team that gets together once a month can capture that sense of "togetherness" and that kind of bond that we have shaped over the years. I guess what I am trying to say, is that we are held up as some type of model, but I don't think that it is very realistic for most churches. I don't think we ever set out to be that "model"-- we just wanted to bring new songs to worship leaders that they could introduce into their churches.... We never envisioned how big the ZOE entity would become. It is still hard to believe how far-reaching the whole thing is at times--- Very humbling. Yet, it is proof of God at work, because we all realize that any success that we have had HAS to be because of His hand at work-- We are aware that ANY good that has occurred is because of and due to Him-- NOT us! It is in spite of us! :) He is good! I can't wait to experience those incredible times of worship and praise this weekend! It is indescribable to be a part of it! Hope to see some of you and maybe even meet some of my fellow bloggers out there! :)

I will close today by saying that I am still trying to figure out how to best serve Him-- how to use the gifts He has given me to His glory.... But, I know He is faithful and that He will guide me to the place He wants me to be-- as a mother, as a wife, and as His servant! Praise be to Him! :)