A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!!!

This is a blanket made by a woman who was saved by grace through faith in Jesus. She lives in India. She once was a prostitute who had no hope, but now she has THE hope. In fact, she and 2 other women came to know Christ through a ministry called, "WORD MADE FLESH" and they have been taught to sew and make these blankets. It tells her testimony of redemption. My friend in Memphis sales the blankets for these women and has a huge heart for India. They would be a great christmas gift if you are looking for one!! They are $48 plus shipping. Email me if you want more information!

This is a new tradition we are starting this year. My friend Laura gave us this christmas calendar. You start it on December 1st and you take a new piece of the nativity scene each day and slowly tell the story of Jesus' birth. There is a verse and short piece of the story to tell your toddler or young child each day. By Christmas a nativity scene is built! you can get these calendars at www.desiringgod.org It is a great way to celebrate and teach what Christmas is about to our children.

So, we are back home and getting ready for Christmas! We started decorating and wesleygrant (and his love for hats) found the santa hats and thought he and sally should put them on.

We were able to go and visit the place where my mother is buried. Though the grave, reminded us of our loss, yet it reminded us of our mother's gain...as John 11:25-26 says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live....whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." It reminded me that this is not our home as believers, but a journey...that heaven is our home. Our time was quiet, but we all were touched by the memories of my mother, as they silently filled our minds. As wesleygrant ran around her grave, not knowing and sally cooed in our arms, i remembered the time at my mother's bed side in her last days when we talked about her influence in me and my brother and how she taught us about Christ. I remember her telling me that, that was all that mattered. And I promised her that I would teach my children that. My mother's life gave so much and her testimony will effect generations to come...even those she did not know.

Thanksgiving was fun with many cousins and grandparents! We were thankful to be able to be with family this year.

The Fruit of A Disciple

John 15: 5,8,9,13

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing......By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love....Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends....."

We are studying the book of John at church and I am having a huge shift and conviction in my heart. For so long I have opperated thinking that it is all that "I do" or all that "is accomplished" for God, through me, that is the "fruit in my life"...proving that I am a disciple of Christ, but the fruit Jesus is talking about here is LOVE. WHAT?! YES. It is our love for one another...or love for our enemies...or love for the unloved, that shows the world that we are His disciples and who He is. And the laying down of one's life does not mean dying here....but living. It doesn't mean laying down your physical life but giving away your living life for others. And that is IMPOSSIBLE to do without Christ.


This has been so profound to me, I can't even write all about it here. That simple truth has absolutely been changing my whole thinking! This doesn't mean that God won't be doing things through us as believers, but it isn't the proof that we are believers. We are seeing preachers and believers left and right falling from the faith here in America. Why are we shocked? because they look like they have so much "fruit". Big churches, ect...ect...but that is not proof someone is a believer. Love is the fruit we should look for. There are movments taking place in China and India as believers are loving Christ and therefore loving one another and others. They are being persecuted and have no buildings, money, resources..ect. They are abiding in Christ and loving....their fruit is love and many are coming to Christ because of it!!

As I think about my children and loving them, modeling love for them and teaching them love, that no longer takes the backseat in the "moral training" category, but it takes front seat as the first and foremost important thing I want to teach my children.

As I have been faced with this great truth about our lives as believers and LOVE, I look to my mother for a real example. Me, my brother and my dad can confess this the most as she layed down her life for us for 32+ years. She loved us unconditionally. She always forgave, suffered long, was kind, did not envy nor parade herself, was never puffed up, never behaved rudely, did not seek her own, was not provoked, thought no evil, did not rejoice in sin, but always rejoiced in the truth, bore all things...all circumstances handed to her, believed all things, hoped all things and endured all things. Paul could have easily been writing about my mother in 1 Cor. 13.

My mother had many evidences in her life that she was a believer, but when she got diagnosed with Multiple Schlerosis and it took all ability to "do things", her love remained. She was no longer able to go overseas, lead a bible study, go to church, read her bible, be some "great" professional woman in this world, cook a meal or do laundry at the end of her life, but she loved. She was known for her love.


I pray that I can be like my mother...that in the end when I stand before the Lord, as my mother did, that he would say, as I know He did to her, "Well done, Kimberly, my servant." And it will be because I loved, not because of the things I did. And I loved because I abided in His love. I loved, because He first loved me. That I loved knowing that God demonstrated His Love toward me, in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. (Rom.5:8) I pray that my children will be like their grandmother that they will raise up as a new generation that is known for their love.

So, we had lunch, watched Barnie, played with the balloon and train set all afternoon, then it was time for the fun part! CAKE!!! Stew showed Wesleygrant how to eat his own cake and well, by the look on Wesleygrant's face, i guess we can say we had a pretty successful day of birthday! Happy birthday, son!! We are SO PROUD of you!! And love you so much!!!

Then the party began!! Uncle Jason and Aunt Jenny came by to wish him a happy birthday and got him a TRAIN! He was so excited!!

Even though it was his birthday, he had to take a nap, but he got to sleep on his new Thomas the train pillow! And just as i was shutting the door, he said, "mommy....dddd dora!" So, yes, i let him sleep with the Dora cereal box from breakfast...without the cereal, of course! My little "Dora fan"!

So, we had an exciting morning and played with his train....then he had some roomtime while mommy took care of some things around the house. I keep an eye on him and can hear him, but at one point i didn't hear him, so i peeked in to check on him and this is what i saw!! He decided to change elmo's diaper...or put one on him! HILARIOUS! He obviously notices how many diapers mommy changes a day! and he tried to put a diaper on the Elmo flashlight that Karey and "ter ter" gave him , but it didn't work so well....

Happy 2nd Birthday, WESLYGRANT!!! WE LOVE YOU!!

It has been a fun morning so far!! Stay tuned to more fun!

I had an extra night to stay after the pinkstaffs left, and i stayed with my friend's Kathy and Karey. We were adults playing like highschool girls!! It was a blast and such an encouragement for my heart after saying goodbye to Laura! We ate great food...talked about each other and friendship and then they served me, by giving me a pedicure and manicure! WOW!! I was so blessed by them. They love me so well and have taught me that I "need" friends and all they have to offer. They've taught me to be courageous in my vulnerbility and to trust. They've modeled great parenting in 2 different ways and showed me how to serve and love others in creative ways. These women give couragously of themselves in so many ways! Thank you kathy and karey!! I love you so much!!! I think we've started a new tradition!

Ecc. 4:12 "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (NLT)

A GREAT lesson from a LITTLE girl....

Before the pinkstaff's left, Matt was talking to his daughter, Sophia, about leaving. He explained to her that the house was no longer theirs, that they sold it....then he began to explain that their true home is not in memphis, or India...but Heaven. Sophia listened intently and then replied. "OH!! This is our pretend house!!" How innocent, yet so profound! Yes, Sophia...these are our pretend houses...and may us believers not forget that. Thank you sophia...we love you so much!

Sally and I stayed with Laura and helped get them ready for their final moment in Memphis. It was so good to be there. And taught me more about friendship. The day they left was not dramatic...just quiet and packing final things....bathing the girls one last good bath...a brunch with friends and then off to the airport. We all gathered around the Pinkstaffs for one last time to pray over them and said our good bye. How precious friendships are and even more so when we are able to walk through life with each other. And as Sally and I stood and watched the pinkstaffs go through security, until our eye could see no more, there was a final closer for me in leaving memphis....my season there was over and now new ones began....both for me and Laura. My time was both easy and hard, but that is the adventure of a friendship....and it's those adventures that touches our soul and changes us. Laura has touched my soul and I am changed because of her...and will be changed as part of me travels to India with her...i miss her so much, but I'm excited to see what lies ahead for both of us. We love you pinkstaffs!!

Sally and I returned yesterday...our trip was quick but so good. Sally did great!

Bye-Bye! We will miss our boys this weekend!! Memphis, here we come!

And had to give you this one....Stew is off on Fridays, so we spent some time together today before sally and i head out....we were all laughing and wesleygrant was jumping and then, we didn't hear sally cooing anymore...well, she decided it was her nap time! I mean, when you gotta sleep, you gotta sleep!

So, I had to post these before I leave...Wesleygrant informed us that these are his "fi-fighter pants" or fire fighter pants! He pulled them up high and well.....here he is! So fun!

So, Sally and I are heading back to memphis for the weekend. My dear friend, Laura, and her family are leaving for India on Sunday and we are going to spend last days with her and say good-bye. I'll post pics when we get back. Laura, can't wait to see you!!!

Another REALITY in the Stewart household
"Sometimes, the laundry just doesn't get done...."

So, it had been planned for 2 weeks now...that this family would be coming over for dessert and some time of fellowship. Like all of us women, we want to make sure that the house is "ready" for our guests. I am one who highly agrees with schedules and lives better (and my family) because of them. But I am learning not to live for them, just with them. And there are days like the one i had yesterday that help me keep that in mind.

So, like i said, our guests were coming for dessert around 7pm....So our morning started that day, but like many mornings, not as picture perfect as i would like. Sally woke up earlier than normal and couldn't be consoled, so i fed her...then she ate so fast and too much that she threw up all over me and the bed sheets. Wesleygrant had gone to bed late the night before, so was pretty cranky when he woke up. i had stayed up late and not gotten much sleep, so i was cranky too. The day was filled with one thing after another that took from our "normal day" and so finally at naps, i got to take a shower (yes, i still had throw-up on me from the AM) and then fell across the bed to take a nap myself....we woke up at 4:30pm...(not normal) and dirty dishes were in the sink, toys everywhere and laundry to be done. All this followed by a HUGE migraine i got that crippled me to just lay down again once Stew got home. I started feeling better and so, went to the store to get milk and stuff for brownies for our guests. I got home at 6:30pm, to Sally crying...oops, i forgot to feed her! So she came first over dishes, laundry and everything else that demanded my attention. And sure enough, a knock at the door right at 7pm....our guests arrived and yes, to dirty dishes, toys everywhere, kids not in bed and laundry that still had to be done...

Well, I just welcomed them in and served them the clean dishes i had. i prayed that God would help me not be a Martha, but be a Mary and love and be attentive to our guests in the midst of it all. I moved the toys, put kids to bed and sat with our guests eating brownies and drinking milk and you know what....it was all okay.

I am learning that sometimes, the laundry just doesn't get done, and that is just fine....

Mr. TODDLER!!!
Yes, that is his name! Does he not look guilty of it! =) He has every symptom of them. I am reading a book "Toddlerwise" and making phone calls to my friend Brandi Holbrook and that is getting me through this season. But, truly, i am being pruned during this season of my parenting. By God's grace, one day, i pray this little boy with so much vigor will be leading people to the LORD. And one day those toddler symptoms will no longer be....but only Christ will be. I love my little toddler!

I am learning to be thankful for toddler years.

Dave and Gloria Furman came to visit us! Dave was in town doing a wedding and so we got to have lunch with them on Sunday! They are finishing up school at DTS and looking forward to going overseas in the next few years. They are due with their first baby in April 07!!
We had so much fun! We love you guys and will continuing praying!!!

Lunch Date in Austin!

Today Wesleygrant got to play with Owen Dodson. Our friends, Jonathan and Robie Dodson just moved to Austin and Owen got to play with us today! He is such a great kid! Wesleygrant really did well with helping me and playing with him. I was so proud of him!