Baby and Balance...

First off...You cannot imagine the joy in our hearts that Andy and Jessica are expecting their first baby on September 27th...We are beside ourselves to meet the newest little Jeffrey. It is a sweet gift from the Lord to watch people you love so dearly begin a journey that you know to be filled with such great depths of emotion...Being a parent makes everything come alive in a whole new way...you love deeper, cry harder, celebrate the simple and rejoice more in the realization that apart from the Lord we really can do nothing. Andy and Jessica are beginning this journey...and they begin it centered on Jesus. It is beautiful to watch.

This is a picture of all of us last weekend at the FWC dinner with W (not pictured). And yes, Jessica is 3 months pregnant and wearing a skirt that pleats from the waist. How is it possible to be that cute? She is one of my all times favorites. (Though I have given up the dream that we will ever share clothes.:))

I cannot make this announcement without telling one of my favorite Andy stories...Just recently we were out at our families ranch and Andy was washing his hands in the bathroom. I saw Eden follow him in there so I said, "Hey Andy make sure Eden does not get into the toilet." Thinking he was watching her, I did not go get her. A few seconds later Andy called back, "Hey what was it you wanted Eden to get out of the toilet?" That's right, under her uncles supervision she was fully immersed, digging like nobodies business in the toilet bowl. Hilarious (and a bit disgusting) I have since explained that it is a rare day that you send your 18 month old in to dig anything out of a commode.He is going to be such a great dad! I cannot wait!

Our small groups at church are doing a series on being balanced...It is a series by Andy Stanley on the Lord and your finances. As a result of this we have been tracking our spending to see where our passions are...And here they are...The Lord, a good meal, medical bills, Sonic, sporting goods and hair bows*...and not necessarily in that order(based on our checkbook.) We (Tony and I) are longing to see some differences played out in our life in the coming months and years. We recognize it is all His. And we are calling ourselves back to living in that way. We want to free ourselves to be His hands and feet when He calls. We are longing to see Him lifted up in our finances. We want Him to change our hearts and change our desires. We want someday when we are gone for our children to be able to look back and say, "they really did love Him." and have that confirmed when they look through our finances. Lord, we are weak and worldly... be magnified in that weakness...

"To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth its yours;
the kingdom all yours! You've raised yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from you,
you're ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand
to build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you,
praising your splendid Name."
1 Chronicles 29:11

* hair bows are not a massive part of our budget...but it was a tad shocking to myself how much has gone to the cuteness that is our daughter. But might I add, in defense of Eden, the journey to having the Brooks boys look like baseball perfection at the ripe old ages of 5 and 7 was eye opening as well.