The Weekend of Champions!

What a fun, fun weekend the Turner family had! Todd and I have spent the whole last few weeks being super busy running kids everywhere. One parent runs one child to one game, another takes or picks a kid up from practice, while another parent helps coach a practice, and then we will meet up at the late game, etc..... LOL! We have a rule that the kids can only participate in one sport at a time. But this spring has been a whirlwind of filling gas tanks, icing down water and Gatorade, and lunging around lawn chairs. Two boys playing baseball and a lady in volleyball!

This past weekend, Addison had her end of the year tournament in volleyball. This was her first year to play (and my first year to coach). I won't lie, the first game we played was a NIGHTMARE! But after a month of practicing (Mrs. Sara Price was sweet enough to run practices so she could teach me volleyball too), a few games lost and a few games tied, I must say, we drastically improved. So in our tournament....we won our first two games which put us in the championship game....which had us receive 2nd place! The girls were so proud...and I was so proud of them too:-)


Then on a weekend of anticipated thunderstorms....we also had two more baseball tournaments..... 1) Gabe's first little 5/6 Coach Pitch Celina Tournament and 2) Zander's Young Gun Tournament (select team) in McKinney-Triple Creek. Expecting to have a few rainouts or rain delays, we were pleasantly surprised! The weather couldn't have been more perfect for a great weekend of baseball. No rain, just a few clouds...and then alot of sun!

But Todd and I had to at least spend several dollars worth of gas running back and forth between Celina and McKinney on Saturday and Sunday. And to be honest with you...we didn't expect to be playing much or long on Sunday with the boys. We really thought they would be beat out of their tournaments sometime early on Sunday. Why?? .....1)Gabe's team is so young and inexperienced 2) Zander's team was in a 15 team tournament with some really good teams!
But guess what??? Gabe's team ended up winning all their games but the championship game. So they were awarded 2nd place:-) And Zander's team played UNBELIEVABLE. The won 6 straight games....and even beat the Irving Canes (amazingly awesome team) to be placed in the championship game against a team we meet up several times in tournaments...the Frisco Rough Riders. We only beat them 13-12! It was so much fun and so stressful:-) HAHA!

So needless to say....Todd and I are very proud of my kids. Not because they all came in with trophies, but because of their hardwork, good attitudes, and how they apply themselves. Trophy or no trophy....they are my big winners! Oh, how I thanked God for a wonderful weekend of enjoying them and the weather and the dear friends that come along in these environments!


---But it was way cool to come home with 3 trophies still:-) HAHA

Balance

The other day, my husband and I were taking the kids to Muenster, Texas to participate in the German Fest festivities! On our way, we saw a church....called THE CHURCH OF BALANCE. It grabbed my attention, because it seems that is what I seem to struggle with most in my life....BALANCE!

The dictionary defines BALANCE in several ways........
–noun
1.a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.
2.something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
3.mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.

OKAY---these I get. I can BALANCE my life. I can be mentally steady, right? Calm behavior, yes? Judgment, Who am I do judge????

But look at these other definitions for BALANCE....

-the remainder or rest
-the power or ability to decide an outcome by throwing one's strength, influence, support, or the like, to one side or the other.
-equality between the totals of the two sides of an account.
-the difference between the debit total and the credit total of an account.
-the act of balancing; comparison as to weight, amount, importance, etc.; estimate.
-preponderating weight:

OH! I am so tired just reading over those! It seems I struggle with balance in my life. I can always recognize what is OUT of balance and can adjust it....but it seems that when I do adjust it, something else is thrown out of balance!
For example: Recently.... I discovered after almost 2 years of hard workouts, running, eating right, counting calories, and all, that I have an under active thyroid. So we begin to get medications for that. Since then I have lost quite a bit of weight and my energy level is BACK! So running has become one of my favorite things to do again. Running is great, cause this is where I spend lots of time mediating on God's Word and having great prayer time (uninterrupted). However, more running time may be good for me, but running an hour or so a day takes away from daily chores or even time spent checking kids homework (this was an issue with Addison two weeks ago). URG!
So I had the talk with the family....we decided we must get on a better schedule. We have dry erase calendars in the playroom, along with DAILY TO DO LIST!. We also hung hooks on the wall for kids backpacks and jackets....and made some adjustment to our house and family to start using these tools to help us better maintain the house AND schoolwork! Yes... it worked but not without throwing something else out of balance!!!!

So this week, workout is good, work is good, homework and housework is good....but guess what I haven't taken the time to do today because housework got in the way??? YAP, haven't opened my Bible today...at least not yet! And what I am about to say is worse. I don't think I opened my Bible yesterday either (this doesn't count me helping PreK and Kindergarten students find Jeremiah in their Bibles). It was Sunday for crying out loud.... HOW DID I NOT OPEN MY BIBLE ALL DAY!!!!! UGH!

This blog post can go on and on about how it seems that I spend my life ADJUSTING my schedule just to try to make it BALANCE out! But I admit, I don't know if I will ever figure this BALANCE thing out! LOL!

(Maybe I should use this blog to help me organize a better daily plan for me to follow HAHA)

Ideas for this Blog

So....it's been quite some time since I have last posted on here! Life has been busy! Life has been crazy! But my life has definitely been good! I have so many new things going on in my life right now! I have so many things I would like to share, but just not sure how, nor if anyone really cares! I am not even sure how I want to use this blog anymore.

When I initially started blogging, I did it so my family and friends could check in on me and my family and see what we were doing....but it seems facebook has taken the place of that purpose. So now.....All I have to share is more personal stuff. But who wants to hear personal stuff? YUCK! LOL! But I am trying to decide if I want to use the blog to see my own personal growth??? Perhaps, but then again, I am not sure I want everyone knowing the TRUTH about my struggles! LOL! My struggles are real, just like everyone else. From weight lose, to parenting, to sticking to God's word, to dealing with insecurities..... I have them! All of them! So I am praying about it... and I may venture into it! We will see!

I have the best job ever!!!!!

Keep CHRIST in Christmas!!!!

Today I sent this email out to all the leaders and coaches of GBF's Children's Ministry Team! I think all could benefit from this aritcle...........

Just recently my husband and I saw a billboard that said KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS....which sparked us in a conversation on this very subject. I like the idea behind the billboards, however my husband thinks the money on the billboard could be spent somewhere else..... So therefor, I have been thinking alot about WHY I support this advertisement! Here is a article I came across today that I found very interesting and worth reading.

Getting Christ Back into Christmas Your Ministry

There is a danger in ministry that is easy to miss. During the Christmas season, we often hear the phrase, "keeping Christ in Christmas," or reminders that He is the "reason for the season." But these sentiments have as much to do with our ministry all year long as they do with the celebration of Christmas. While it is certainly disappointing how little of Jesus we see in our culture's celebration of Christmas, and frustrating to see our Savior being systematically squeezed out more and more every year, there is something far more gradual and eternally dangerous than seeing Christ steadily removed from Christmas. And it is happening every month of the year. It is the slow and unintentional removal of Christ from ministry – or at least the removal of a vibrant relationship with Jesus in the midst of Christ-centered ministry.

I have no doubt that children's ministry leaders and volunteers will keep "Christ in Christmas" during this season. I am more concerned about whether we will keep a relationship with Jesus at the center of our life and ministry. Christmas serves as a perfect object lesson on this topic because Christ slips away from our ministries the same way He slips out of Christmas. When it comes to the purpose and focus of Christmas, it is true that there are those who are intentionally and strategically trying to remove Christ from Christmas – but they are easy to identify. However, there is a more subtle attack at play. Too often Christ gets lost, not because of overt attacks, but because He just gets drowned out in the midst of many other good things. Shopping for gifts to express love is a good thing. Decorating to make the world a brighter place is a good thing. Cooking up special recipes to make life taste better is a good thing. Playing with children, volunteering to help the poor, giving to the needy, playing music focused on joy, and promoting peace and expressing love are all good things. They aren't "bad," and they even please Christ – but at the same time, they can distract us from the very One who inspired them.

The same is true with our lives and ministries. We do have an Enemy who seeks to remove Christ from the center of our lives, and often his distractions or downright seductions work – and we sin. But more often, it is all the GOOD in our lives and ministry that can cause Jesus to be lost in the shuffle. We are about so many good things! Creatively teaching the Bible is good. Getting kids to come to church is good. Making the environment fun and inviting is good. Preparing fun games, engaging crafts and yummy snacks is good. Providing resources is good and staffing our classes and programs is good. Developing safe policies and creating attractive bulletin boards, brochures and websites is all good – and most of it is inspired by our desire to lead children into a saving relationship with Jesus. But just as Christ slips out of Christmas while we are busy sipping the eggnog, so Jesus can slip out of our ministry while we are restocking the resource room with apple juice.

Here a few warning signs that Jesus may have gotten buried in the busyness of ministry:

* You haven't read the Bible for yourself in awhile. (Lesson prep doesn't count!)
* If you pray, it's at meals, or when you need something for the ministry.
* Your spouse or kids are starting to resent the ministry. (Or perhaps you are.)
* What used to bring you great joy now seems like a burden. (If you are honest.)
* You aren't really as happy as you appear on Sunday. (You thought no one could tell.)
* You can't remember the last time you got to lead someone to Christ (one on one).
* You are feeling stressed and overwhelmed with the ministry. (His burden is light.)
* You are exhausted most of the time.
* You feel unappreciated, undervalued and overworked.
* You don't like who you are becoming privately.
* You have sin in your life that if anyone knew...

How does it happen? How can you be doing so much GOOD and seeing LIVES CHANGED and have so many people impressed and pleased with you… but Jesus seems like a stranger to you?




Friend, Jesus is not only the "Reason for the Season," he is the Reason for your Ministry, too. "Keeping Christ in Christmas" is not the main challenge – keeping your relationship with Him central in your life and ministry is!

Thanks for letting me share this!!!!! Love yall!!!

Christmas Treats for the Inexperienced

Year after year I tell myself I want to learn to make some fun Christmas treats to share with friends, relatives and co-workers. But time and time again, it gets busy I usually end up settling with handing out gift cards instead.

But this year I am a bit more free....which I am thrilled about. So this weekend I want to start playing in my kitchen and making some fun treats.

So for all your bloggers, please share some of your favorites with me! But please NOTE, I am not a homemaker and don't spend alot of time in the kitchen. So easy/simple is best!!! HAHAHA! Plus, I am hoping the kids will help me in there this weekend too!!!

New Room, New Attitude

I know it is not new news about our recent add-on to our home. And, it's not technically an add-on but we closed in our garage!

But I can't explain how this has changed the Turner Household for the better!! It is almost as if we aren't the same family! HAHA!

First of all, my family of 5 sat at a small area in the kitchen. The original kitchen table only had 4 chairs and we usually have to pull up a step stool or an office chair if we all want to sit together. And to be honest, usually I would feed everyone and wait on them or we would have kids in the kitchen and Todd in the living room! It is also a tight area to have the family in. NOW: We have a huge table in the new big room that can sit up to 8, maybe even 10 and we have 6 chairs! We eat together, we do homework or work together and even clean together! NO JOKE!

Secondly, that small kitchen area and table was in constant use, which was tiring and very frustrating... not to mention it caused me to yell more than I wanted to! Mainly out of frustration at the time. Our table schedule was much like this.....
Morning: breakfast and folder signing
Midday: Cleared
After School: full of backpack, lunch boxes, papers and homework
Dinner Time: move school stuff and do dinner or do dinner around the school stuff
Nite: clean food and pull out backpack again and do homework!

NOW: This big new table is big enough to eat at and have homework at. We have plenty of room to have several things out and we have a nice refrigerator that has the cereal stuff and other easy access snacks ready to go! Now the kitchen stays clean and we use it for more of a adult conversation/dinner time! No more kids!! No more homework (unless they need quiet), no constant cleaning it several times a day! LOL!

I have more reasons... so if your with me, I am going to keep on telling ya!!!

Next, I love the space. We have a big U-shaped couch (with a pull out sleeper), this big table, a TV, a frig and a freezer. This takes up a little more than half of the room so the rest of the room is open and is great for playing games, doing puzzle, or for doing cart-wheels (my Addie does that none stop).

And last but not least, I love how we are always together as a family all the time. Tonight, Todd and Zander were watching a baseball game, Addie and Gabe were coloring and helping me match socks, and I was doing laundry, all at the same time and all TOGETHER! On the weekends we let the kids pull out the sleeper and have little slumber parties...and yes, last week the whole family had a slumber party in our new room! HAHA!

It seems that our YELLING has become a minimal now! And we seem to have our family all together majority of the time.

So you ask me what I am doing right now....well I am sitting at the BIG table typing this. Zander and Todd are having an coaching session while watching the baseball game, Addie is cartwheeling and Gabe is reading his book!

The money we have spent on this room as been so worth it. We should have done this years ago!!! But I am so happy we did it period!