Our Little Dicken's

Ryder was apart of the 20th year of Christmas in the Chapel. He only had a small part as the young Charles Dickens. He did a great job. Here he his with Brady the guy who played his dad. We love Brady. He is a preachers kid with a great heart and great acting skills. He and Ryder hung out a lot when he was in Romeo and Juliet. Brady can be critical of himself and Ryder has noticed. Ryder said, "I can be that way to but Brady says not to do it." I am hoping some of Brady's finer qualities continue to rub off on our youngin'. Brady's girlfriend Emily and I say that Ryder and Brady are BFF's. Well maybe not but I sure hope Brady knows that my little guy is watching. Below he is with Adam (who is great as well) who played Charles Dickens.
It is moments like these when I really love our life/ministry here at LCC. I relish the opportunities that my kids have to see great Christian young people and aspire to be like them. The world through media doesn't offer great examples but our life at LCC does.

Here is Rylee and Kate with our Lilian..(she really goes by Lil but we like to call her Lilian!) My kids see her nearly every week day. She hangs out with Regs in the afternoon. They study Hebrew History together. Lil is not perfect but she is struggling to know Jesus. I want Rylee to not think she has to be perfect but to find herself in the struggle just like Jacob did and Lil is doing.

It reminds me of what Paul wrote to the church in Philippians 3:9. "The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things and the God of peace shall be with you. " We are at peace with God when we dwell with him in our mind, actions and heart. Part of how we know HOW to do it is by watching others do it. I know that I am an example to my kids and their friends but they need other examples too.

Rylee and Kate hanging out with Kim, Chelsey, and Claudia over at the Casa de Maupin. There are so many people in my life who have and are these examples to me It is part of why I love Christmas because I love the cards from many of these people. They cheer me! Their words encourage me to keep believing...keep pressing on! They remind me of what is excellent. (phil. 3:8) But today I give praise to God for his faithfulness to my children by always (throughout their whole life) giving them folks who can show them what a life of "whatever" looks like. "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (phil 3:8)