Labor Day on the Ocmulgee

As promised, here are pictures from Labor Day with the Darnell's... sorry for the random nature of these pictures... I can't figure out how to move the pictures into the order I'm wanting!

 Jasper LOVES the water!

Will and Christie -- whose camera, by the way, took all of these amazing pictures!

 I love a good laugh...

Caroline, Brian, and Jasper's favorite cousin, Layla

 I LOOOVE my sister!  So thankful for her...

 Quite proud of this picture I took of Mom and Dad... a work of art, don't you think?

 The guys... right after a rock throwing contest across the river... I'm pretty sure Springer won.

Layla was not as crazy about the water, but eventually she got the hang of it...

Caroline said that now she loves the water, just like Cousin Jasper!

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a fun weekend!

dining room

I really like this dining room and didn't want to lose the picture, so I'm posting for my reference in the future.  Isn't it pretty?!

labor day fun

Folks I love... from left to right...

Uncle Kim:  Not technically my uncle, but is Dad's best friend. 

They went to high school and college together, and we consider him our uncle, hence the name.

Sweet sister Caroline

Caroline's sweetheart, Brian

Next brother in line, Will -- who lived with us this past summer, so fun!
A new friend we REALLY like -- Will's girlfriend Christie

Wes-man, really his name is just Wes, but he's one of Will's best friends from high school

and somehow always ends up at Darnell family events!

My wonderful Mom

Baby Dave, ha, not so much of a baby anymore, I guess... note the insane amount of hair on his head...

that's a college freshman for you... rebelling against the FPD hair code he's had to follow for the past 12 years

Yours truly

Mine truly

Dear ol' Dad

A fun weekend!  More pictures to follow from our adventure on the Ocmulgee...

life is hard... trusting that God is good all the time

I'm reflecting on these quotes today...

From Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor in the 1800's...
“Weeping is a wondrous help to those who would find their way to the heart of God! So, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, pour out your hearts before Him—pour them out like water before the Lord and when your heart is breaking for the longing that it has, even if you shed no outward tears, you have learned the sacred art of praying and you shall receive what you have asked in so far as it is according to the will of God.”

From Matt Chandler, a pastor in Dallas that we really like...
"God sends both joy and sorrow to detach our hands from things of this world and to attach our hands to Him."

From my friend Sara whose little girl is fighting cancer...
"I know that God is bigger than all of this -- that He can protect and strengthen Adah, counter every side effect. I also know that He may choose not to. But to whom else can we go? Who else has the words of eternal life? Without Jesus, we have nothing to hope in at all. With Him, we have all we need. How I want His life and goodness and sweetness to just swallow us up."

Come, Lord Jesus!

all things new

This is our friend, Heath Jackson.  LS led worship with him at Crosspointe, and Springer played softball with him.  We love hearing him DJ on our favorite radio station - 88.5 The Truth. 

Heath had planned to lead worship this evening for a city-wide gathering.  But tonight he is worshipping in Heaven.  He will be very missed here.  Please join us in praying for his family and friends.

Revelation 21:3-5
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

And He who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

The Big 3-0

I love these pictures... I think Springer's birthday weekend was a great success!  Two big surprises... a trip to Paradise (I mean, Athens) and "dinner with the Cain's" (which was actually a surprise party with fun friends from all seasons of his life so far!)  I hope (and I'm pretty sure) he felt very loved!  Happy Birthday, sweetheart!