My Journey

Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt - Clinging To The Cross

2010-09-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

I have been listening to this song lately and it really hit hard the other day. Such simple words but it's exactly what I need to do in my life. Cling to the cross and let go of earthly things. Whenever I move across country there is a period of adjustment for me. At first I think it's going to be easy to handle, but after several months it hits me how much my daily life has changed. I tend to hold on to earthly things to help me through this period and not my heavenly Father. So, today I'm clinging to the cross.

Family Trip to Disneyland

2010-09-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Back to Blogging

2010-09-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Six months have gone by since my last entry, so I think the time has come for me to start again. So much has happened in that time and most of you have been updated through Facebook, email, and such. I'm not going to cover everything that's been going on the last six months, instead I will start with now. School is in full swing for the year and my oldest kids are starting to get into the new routine. Goodbye summer and sleeping in! Hello to early mornings! Sidney is in fifth grade (which is way too close to Jr. High already!) and Lucas is in third. Both are adjusting well to the new school and new teachers. The truth is, it's like we never left. All of Sidney's friends are in her class and she couldn't be more excited. Lucas has met a new friend that he instantly bonded with. All of my good friends still work at the school and it's been nice to see them again. God is so good to us. I am amazed that God cares about these little details in our lives. I am grading for all the upper grade teachers this year so I can be at home with my Bubbers. James is very busy with planning, meeting, planning, studying, planning, and delivering pizzas! He has also started a men's Bible study with Kris and I'm starting a women's Bible study in a few weeks. The last few months have been filled with building relationships and reconnecting with old friends. God is working in Escondido and we are excited to be a part of this journey!

I serve an AMAZING God.

2010-02-26T07:17:00.000-08:00

To look back on the last year, I am overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. I am excited about our new journey with The Branches Community Church of Escondido. I am in awe of how God is working out every little detail. We have a potential venue to meet at, financial support from our beautiful friends and family, 16 families who have felt this call of God on their lives who are coming out to California with us, and numerous other answers to prayer. God has gone before us to prepare this new community of believers. I feel a deep sense of hurt and loss over leaving Farmland, but I am puting this in God's hand. I have no doubt we are supposed to leave at this time. I have had so many wonderful experiences in ministry while serving at Farmland Friends Church. I know all these experiences are to prepare me for what's next. How good it is when God prepares us for our next journey. Through all these emotions, I am comforted that God is always constant and he never changes. I am eager to see more and more of His glory shown through the building of his body in Escondido.

"I have set the Lord always before me." Psalm 16:8

Wax Museum Fun!

2010-01-07T06:35:00.001-08:00

Branson Fun!!!!

2010-01-06T08:44:00.001-08:00

What I love about winter. . .

2009-12-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

Warming my hands on a mug of hot chocolate

Listening to Christmas music

Hot showers on a cold morning

Wearing my warm fuzzy socks

Making cookies with my kids

Snowball fights with my oldest son even when there's only a 1/4 inch of snow on the ground

Wearing zip up hoodies and my knock-off Ugg boots

Christmas shopping to find the perfect gift

Singing Christmas Carols at a nursing home (love it when their faces light up and they sing along!)

Helping others when they least expect it

Snuggling under my favorite blanket (thanks Tammy!) and watching SYTYCD

What are your favorite things about this season?

Not too bad

2009-12-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

While we were at Kansas at my brother's house we attempted to get family pictures of all of us. Here is the best one. Not great but at least we are all smiling. : )

A Heart of Gratitude

2009-12-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Click on the title to read a great excerpt from a blog by Erwin McManus.

Give Thanks

2009-11-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

I'm am thankful for a God who loves me and my beautiful family.

Balance Beam by Francis Chan

2009-11-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

I don't want to stay clinging to the balance beam. I want my Savior to say, "Well done, my faithful servant." When Jesus was on the earth he didn't do what was comfortable, he was always found in uncomfortable situations. He wanted His Father's name to be known to the world. I want my Father's name to be known wherever I am and that calls for many uncomfortable situations. I say "Bring it on!" God is not calling me to stay in my nice, safe bubble. God is calling my family and I to go share His love with a new group of people. I'm excited!

have your way Lord

2009-11-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

Lord of Lords

2009-11-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

This song has encouraged me recently. It's not a song with deep meaning, it's just a simple love song to our Lord. My favorite line is, "Let not the things of this world ever sway me, I'll run 'till I finish the race."

The Power of Creativity

2009-11-13T07:39:00.001-08:00

This is long overdue. I promised to write about creativity in ministry a while back and I was reminded of this when I went back to read my old posts. Ha! Sometimes I wish I was a super hero who had the power to remember everything I'm supposed to remember at exactly the right times! Back to creativity. Our church had some creative minds working this last Sunday for Operation Christmas Child. We wanted to do something different as a whole church that would make a big impact for Operation Christmas Child. My team and I decided to have the whole church pack shoe boxes this year. The creative part was trying to figure out how 400 people could pack shoe boxes at the same time. We decided to set up tables out in the hallways of the Children's Ministry and let people walk from table to table putting items in their shoe box. It worked really well! I think everyone had so much fun, especially the kids. One sweet girl came up to me and said, "I've packed 7 boxes and I'm going to pack another one!" I LOVE to see the kids in our church get excited about helping others. What a great Sunday and what great, loving people we have in our church. Thank you to everyone! We packed over 220 boxes this year!

We Love Fall!

2009-11-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

Our Fall Festival at The Branches was so much fun this year! My favorite part was the pie eating contest. Gotta love stuffing your face into a pie for fun! Sidney was a Volleyball player, Lucas a ninja, and of course Will was Nemo. Will actually liked wearing his costume and he got to go trick or treating for the first time.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD PACK A SHOE BOX SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8

2009-10-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to bring your shoe boxes, gifts, and $7 donations to Farmland Friends Church by November 1! Help give the gift of hope to children in other countries. This gift goes beyond candy and toys, it's the gift of the message of Jesus Christ. What could touch a child more than meeting their physical needs and spiritual needs in one simple gift?

Click on the title to see a video of kids recieving gifts!

Jump In!

2009-09-30T19:03:00.000-07:00

Will is walking!

2009-09-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the quality of the video, my camera's batteries were almost done. I'll have a better one later.

moments of weakness

2009-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

I guess in every person's life there comes a time when you have to tell the truth even if it hurts. Lately, I have been dealing with my own insecurities and what other's think about me. I can say out loud as much as I want that words don't hurt me and I don't care what others think, but inside I am cringing at the thought of someone not liking me or my family. I put way too much emphasis on what other's think sometimes. It's one of my downfalls. God has reminded me time and again that we are not called to be popular, we are called to bring the truth to the world, His Truth. My weakness is to say the right words to make everyone get along and I am constantly fighting that. God doens't want me to compromise His truths just to get everyone to like each other. God has given me so many opportunities to stand for the truth and sometimes I fail. I want God to work and shape me. Part of this transformation is the way I view myself. Thankfully God never gives up on me and my faults. He uses these moments to shape me. It's up to me how long it will take God to form me into the woman he wants me to be.

The Power of Creativity

2009-09-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

I know this is the end of the day, nontheless I wanted to start a new series on my blog devoted to creative ideas in ministry. I was reading a Children's Ministry Magazine called "K" and came across some great creative ideas and ways to get our creative minds moving.

Creative Idea #1

"Ideas generated in unexpected, unusual places are unexpected and unusual. when you operate within a process that imitates (or better yet, exaggerated) these circumstances, you significantly increase your creative capacity." from the book Holy Wow by Jeff White

How to get the creative juices flowing:

Ask hard questions. Why is this the best way? How do I know this is the way it should be? Why not? Relentlessly question everything.

37 days

2009-08-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been 37 days since I last blogged. Mostly because I didn't have time, but my life is a little more manageable now. So, what to blog about. Well, I'll catch you up to what's been going on in the Pinkerton world. My kids said goodbye to summer today and started their first day of 2nd grade and 4th grade. My daughter was very excited to get her own locker this year. It will be interesting to see how she handles this responsibility. I've been talking to her about taking on more responsibility around the house and taking care of her room. I think she's going to mature quite a bit this year, it will be neat to see. Lately I've been kinda sad to say goodbye to the days when my two older kids and I used to hang out, play games, make cookies, go to the Library,make crafts. This doesn't happen as much anymore, the kids like to hang out with their friends which is great just a little sad for mom. I'm very blessed, though, to have another kid who will love to do those things with mom someday. My older son who is not a big fan of school said he had an awesome day. I think it's because his teacher is really nice and easy going. I really hope and pray he has a non-stressful year not like last year. James is coaching volleyball now and he had his first home game tonight. They beat Blue River in three games. The kids and I got to watch one game. He's got a great team and I think they will go far this year. Of course it takes a great coach to get them there! I am still working from home and will try to go into the office on Wednesdays when James can watch Will. I'm ready to have some uninterrupted time to work on some projects for the kid's ministry. Life is good for the Pinkertons and we thank God for that. I hope my next blog won't be 37 days in the making.

Sorry

2009-07-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I haven't been in the mood to blog and I'm sorry. I've been extremely busy trying to get Mega Sports Camp up and running for August. And, all the other jobs I have as well. So, until August 7, I will not have time to blog.

Mommy's little helper

2009-06-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

So, I had put Will on the floor and turned around to put some clothes away. I turn back around and he had rolled over to the laundry basket and sat up to pull out the clothes! He is only seven months! I'm going to have to keep my eye on this one. At the end of the clip you'll get a nice surprise!

My Dad Rocks!

2009-06-21T15:00:00.001-07:00

My Dad is the absolute best.

With a heart so loving,

no one else could stand the test.

He is strong, confident, and bold.

Always there never a minute to spare,

His outstretched hand ready to hold.

I am blessed to have him as mine.

Forever his little girl

until the end of time.

Birthday Fun for my 7 year old!

2009-06-10T08:50:00.001-07:00

Lucas had some friends over for his birthday and they did all the things 7 year old boys do. Wrestling, shooting each other, running around like crazy people, and drinking all the KoolAid they could get their hands on! Sidney, Will, James, and I just sat back and watched all the fun.

Strawberry pickin' and a picnic

2009-06-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Sid, Lucas, Will, and I went to U-Pick Farms in Hagerstown to pick strawberries. Our friend Milah told us about it and we had to check it out since we are strawberry lovers at our house. The kids were a little hesitant to go but once we got there, they really had fun picking their own strawberries. I was surprised to find out that there is a special way you pick them. You are supposed to pick them from the stem and leave the green top on. The lady that helped us was super nice and even gave us a ride on a golf cart out to the field. Lucas would pick one and eat three, he had a really good time! After that, we had a picnic on the back of our van. We came home tired and covered in strawberry juice, but it was worth it! I even bought a short cake mix at the little store so we'll see how that turns out. Yum!

We Made It!

2009-06-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

Sidney ran and walked a 5K for Girls On the Run, a self-confidence program that gets girls motivated to get in shape. I joined her for two laps to help motivate her to keep going. We had a good time together and I am so proud that she finished!

First Assignment: Done!

2009-05-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

What I'm tackling today

2009-05-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is what I've been trying to tackle for months. Getting rid of clothes that we don't wear anymore. First assignment, Lucas' room. I don't know of another boy with more clothes than this kid!

He is Lord of Lords

2009-05-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Catalyst West

2009-05-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

I know it's been several weeks since I got back from California, but I wanted to share some pics of my friends and I at Catalyst. We had an awesome experience. If you ever have a chance to go, do it, you won't regret it.

Beaten and abused all for the name of Christ

2009-05-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

I recieved a book in the mail the other day called Tortured for Christ. It was written in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand. I'm sure some of you have read or heard of this book. Richard is a Jew from Romania that was tortured, beaten, and brainwashed all because he preached the word of God to the Russians. He is a Romanian pastor who tried to give the Message of Christ to the Communists who were atheists. He was an atheist himself as a young man because his parents were taken prisoner becuase of their beliefs when he was a little boy. He grew up in an orphanage and in the home of adults who were against God. Amazingly, God changed his life despite his hard heart and he became the "voice" of the Underground Church in Romania. He tells many stories of the Russians he had witnessed to. One story really struck me. Wurmbrand met a Russian couple who were both sculptors and atheists who were forced to follow the teaching of Stalin and Marx. They told him they had once worked on a sculptor of Stalin and during their work the wife asked the husband, "How about the thumb? If we did not have an opposing thumb--if our fingers were like our toes--we could not hold a hammer, mallet, book, or piece of bread. Human life would be impossible without this little thumb. Now, who made the thumb?" Her husband became angry because no one was permitted to talk about such things and he called her stupid. But the wife went on to say, "This is an even greater wonder. If in heaven there is an Almighty God, in whom in stupidity our forefathers believed, it would then be only natural that we should have thumbs. An almighty God can do everything, so He can make a thumb too. But if in heaven there is nobody, I will worship with all of my heart the 'Nobody' who has made the thumb." So, the wife and husband both came to worship the 'Nobody' who made them. They were so excited to find out from Wurmbrand that that they were right in worshipping the One who made them! He was able to share that God loves them so much he sent his son to die for their sins. He helped them take one step further in their faith and accept God's salvation. Wow!

What struck me was the fact that they knew nothing about God and yet they knew that "Someone" created their thumbs. They believed that there had to be a powerful, mighty 'Nobody' that created such a little but necessary part of their body. God can reach ANYONE! That's what we've been talking about in KidZone. Nobody is unreachable, even people who don't know anything about God or were never taught about His love. God is amazingly above any barriers we think might come in the way of someone giving their life to Him. I 'm so glad I worship that God.

You can get a free copy of this book by going to this website and filling out some information:

http://torturedforchrist.com/

Haircut Time!

2009-05-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Will got his very first haircut by my friend Kimberly. She did a great job and Will actually sat as still as he could for a six month old! I also got my hair chopped. Good job Kimberly! I love it!

A Tribute to my Mom

2009-05-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Since it's Mother's Day this Sunday I just wanted to tell everyone how much my mom means to me. I am in awe of everything my mom has done for my brother and me. Growing up my mom was always there to support me in everything I did and she was not afraid to tell me how proud of me she was. My mom and dad both gave me the confindence to try new things and even if I messed up my mom would still be proud of me for trying. She always instilled in me that nothing is impossible with God and she showed me that personal time with God is very important. As I get older, our relationship has reached a new level of friendship that I cherish every day. She is always available for any questions or concerns I have about my kids or if I just need prayer for something. She is my prayer warrior. I am so grateful and blessed to have her in my life and I hope that I can be half the mom she is to my kids. I love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!

A good but exhausting day

2009-05-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have one of those days that you feel really good about because you get a lot done, but then at the end of the day you are completely spent? That was my day today. I had a great time of study and I started my checklist for Mega Sports Camp this summer. When I was reading over the information about Mega Sports Camp I got this fluttery feeling in my chest because it occured to me that kids are going to be giving their life to God this August. How exciting to be a part of that process! This program is one of the best that I've been involved in that give kids the message of Christ while reaching them through sports. I am super excited for the summer to get here!

Trip to Disneyland

2009-05-03T18:21:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

2009-04-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

California Here We Come!!!!!

2009-04-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our Trip to the Library

2009-03-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

I love the library. I love that you can get any book you want and you don't have to pay for it. I love that my daughter enjoys books about women in history. I love that my son does a great job reading Dr. Seuss books. And I love that my kids thinks Calvin and Hobbes is funny.

This could be me in 90 days!

2009-03-24T18:07:00.001-07:00

Create your own FACEinHOLE

Is 32 that old?

2009-03-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know that I'm not in my twenties anymore but seriously I feel like I can't even run around with my kids without hurting something! Today the kids and I played tag at the church playground. It's been awhile since I ran around with them like that and every so often I had to stop because I was tired. I am so old! To top it all off, I think I pulled something in my back and now it hurts. I think I just need to start some kind of workout or something. I mean I'm only 32! At least this is good motivation for me to get out and get moving. I think it's time to pull out my Power 90 DVD.

Green, Green, and more Green

2009-03-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

My husband is home!!!!!! Yeah!!!!! So glad to have him back and he brought lots of pictures. Almost every picture had beautiful green grass. It really is green in Ireland like they say. I just couldn't get over how vivid the green color was. I've never seen grass that shade of green. I hope next year James will let me tag along on the missions trip. I would love to meet the people he met. James was so impressed with the ministry leaders he talked to. Overall, I think James had a really great time. But, I'm glad he's home.

Getting close to the breaking point

2009-03-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

This week has been good, no big problems or catastrophies but I was almost at my breaking point earlier today. Will was crying, I was on the phone with James, Sidney was asking me a question about some clothes in the garage, and Lucas wanted a snack, all at the same time. Wow! I need a vacation! I'm ready for James to be home now. Thankfully, right now I am sitting on the couch and ALL my kids are in bed and quiet. Ahhhh. I love the quiet.

My Life without Pink

2009-03-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

I've survived two and a half days without Pink and it's gone pretty good. He is in Ireland with CSI ministries until Saturday. I was a little concerned because I've never had all three of my kids by myself for that long. So far, my older kids have helped out BIG time. We enjoyed the wonderful warm day and even had a picnic. It was a little windy but I'm not complaining, I'm just grateful the sun was out! After our picnic we took a walk around our block and talked with our neighbors. One of them asked me if I've been hibernating! That's not far from the truth. I used to take walks almost every day when the weather was nice. But you know, below freezing temperatures and a new little baby will keep you indoors every time! I was so happy to get out with the sun on my back and the wind in my hair. I forgot how much I enjoy those two things. I've been using sunless tanning lotion just so I wouldn't look so pastey, but maybe I won't have to for long! Hopefully, the last part of my week without Pink will be as good as the first even though I'm really missing him.

10 ways to tell your pastor that you love him

2009-03-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

I found a website
http://blog.worldvillage.com/society/pastor_appreciation_is_an_attitude_not_an_event.html
dedicated to how a community of believers can appreciate their pastor all year long. Please take some time to read this and put it into practice. Your pastor will be grateful and more importantly he will feel loved.

1. Creatively communicate words of encouragement to your pastor, paying tribute to your pastor in as many ways you can.

2. Present your pastor with meaningful pastor appreciation gifts not only during pastor appreciation month but also throughout the year, making every Sunday Pastor Appreciation Day.

3. Actually listen to your pastor's sermons, one of the best pastor appreciation gestures you can make.

4. Better yet, apply the truth of your pastor's preaching to specific areas of your life.

5. If you nod your head during the sermon, do so because you are in agreement, not falling asleep. (Please avoid shaking your head "NO" should you disagree with something the pastor says during the sermon.)

6. Take notes during your pastor's preaching, hopefully of the sermon.

7. Say "amen" when the pastor proclaims Biblical truth, because "amen" means "so be it!" and "right on!". Say "amen" real loud but be careful because it will shock the pastor and some will think a revival is beginning.

8. Give a good report about your pastor, bragging about your pastor in such a way that your relatives and friends just might want to attend church just to meet such a wonderful person.

9. Borrow the pastor's car for an hour, gassing it up and washing it. Borrow the pastor's car for 2 hours, having the car detailed. Borrow the pastor's car forever, trading it in for a brand new model (it would be nice to pay the balance owing too).

10. Do something nice for the pastor's wife (that'll really shock him, he might actually think you understand how hard it is to be the wife of a pastor!)

I see pastor appreciation as a mark of a healthy church, a living illustration of God's grace, love, mercy and forgiveness.

A Privileged Child of God

2009-03-02T05:59:00.000-08:00

"Think of the privilege of being a child of God: unlimited widsom, power, and love poured out on us in one gracious act of salvation. If we really understood that, could we ever pray casually again? Could we ever doubt? Would we ever worry about our future or stress about our present? No, all such frailties come from a lack of understanding on exactly this point: The God who is unfathomable, incomprehensible, and boundless in everything He does or can do, is the God who has chosen to dwell within us. Amazing."

Worship the King Devotional
Chris Tiegreen

Picture Day

2009-02-27T05:27:00.000-08:00

Today my kids are getting their Spring pictures taken at school, so I thought I would take advantage of this moment and take my own pictures. It's so amazing how grown up Sidney and Lucas look in these pictures! I'm also amazed at what a beautiful relationship my kids have with their new brother. Just the other day Lucas was in the car sitting by Will and he was a little fussy. Lucas, being the great big brother that he is, started talking to Will trying to calm him down and he stroked his head really lightly. Will fell asleep and I couldn't stop smiling. I am blessed beyond measure.

changes, changes, changes

2009-02-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time for a change. Please give me some feedback and tell me what you think of the new design and title of my blog. I want you to be truthful! I'm also thinking about starting another blog for the children's ministry at my church to update everyone on events, programs, new ideas I have, and just fun stories about my ministry. Thanks for responding!

New Pictures

2009-02-22T14:29:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I love Baby Babble!

2009-02-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

I had to put this on here! It's so fun when babies start to coo and gurgle. I think he's so happy today because the sun is out and Spring is coming. Yeah!

The Big Question

2009-02-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Pastor Kris asked on his blog and in his sermon "What would you do if you only had one month to live?" Of course I would tell my family how much they mean to me and tell everyone that I came in contact with about Jesus. But I was trying to imagine what my state of mind might be. What would change? Would my relationship with God change? I think that I would be in constant communication with Him asking that he would help me figure out what I should do before I die. I would be relying on God for EVERYTHING. For peace in my last breath, that my family would be taken care of, strength, courage, and . . . . everything. But, isn't that how God wants me to live now? My every step be an expression of worship to Him. That's why I'm here. I get too caught up in worldly things sometimes that I forget this. I want to live every day for Him and I hope that I don't wait until my last moments on Earth to remember to worship Him with all that I have.

playing in the wintery white

2009-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

My kids had a blast playing in the snow today. I don't know how many inches it was but our dog Miley had to jump and leap just to go outside to do her business. It was funny!

New pictures of Will

2009-01-25T19:20:00.000-08:00

A Winter Wonderland

2009-01-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

It has been soooooo cold outside and my kids haven't got to play out in the snow lately, but the other day it reached 20 degrees! Heat wave! The kids got out for a while and had a lot of fun pulling each other on the sled and dumping each other off the sled. I just stayed indoors and laughed! At least with all this yucky weather we can get out and enjoy it once in a while. I still wish I was at the beach though. Sigh. Oh well.

I want to be somewhere warm!

2009-01-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't blogged for awhile, haven't really felt like it. So, today I'm going to talk about where I wish I was, just like my friend Tricia blogged about. This is a picture of Del Mar, California. This is my favorite beach to go to when I'm in Escondido. You can picture me sitting on the beach with a book watching my kids play in the water. I feel warmer already!

2009-01-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

I read this when I got up today and it's my resolution for the year. Simple, but I need to be reminded of Christ's gift often. I hope you have a year full of blessings and times that remind you that it's not anything we do but what Christ does in us.

A Resolution Worth Keepingby Jon Walker
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Today’s guest devotional is from Jon Walker.
How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? You remember that list you made with optimistic enthusiasm but unrealistic expectations.
One of my friends started making New Year’s resolutions like, “I won’t lose ten pounds this year,” and “I commit to watching the Super Bowl this year.”
I suspect Paul only had one resolution on his list: “This year I resolve to know nothing but Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Paul’s message is radically simple: Salvation is in Christ alone. What does this mean?
It’s not Christ plus your good behavior.
It’s not Christ plus the number of Bible verses you memorize.
It’s not Christ plus your tithe or the church you attend.
It’s not Christ plus wisdom from the latest Christian seminar.
It’s simply Christ plus nothing. Christ and Christ alone.
© 2009 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

Christmas Day

2008-12-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

2008-12-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Having fun on the swing

2008-12-22T05:29:00.001-08:00

Will likes to chill in his fancy swing and look at his monkey. Yeah, I know all of you want a swing as cool as this. You'll have to come over and take a turn! Don't you just love the spikey hair he's got going on?

Christmas Time!

2008-12-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

Here is our awesome tree we got at Sickels Tree Farm the other day. The kids and James went out and picked out the perfect one. It's officially Christmas at the Pinkertons'!

Nothing is ever wasted on Jesus

2008-12-17T06:09:00.000-08:00

I was reading in Mark chapter 14 about the woman who annointed Jesus with some really extravagant perfume that I'm sure cost quite a bit. The disciples were appalled that she would waste that expensive perfume on Jesus when she could have sold it and given to the poor. What Jesus says next is very critical to the Christian life and it made me really think about my own life. He says, "She has done a beautful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could." God takes the time and gifts we give him very seriously and it is extremely important to him. When I give even five minutes to God, He treasures them because I am focusing on Him and nothing else. If five minutes of my time is important to Him, why can't I give him an hour? Is it really that much out of my day to give him one hour just for Him? My human mind gets so wrapped up in my life that I convince myself that I can only spare God five minutes of my day! How absurd this sounds when Jesus tells his disciples that what the woman did was "beautiful". I want what I do for God to be beautiful and selfless in his sight. That is my goal for this new year.

My Little Mama

2008-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

I thought having another child while my two other children are older would be a really neat experience, I just didn't know how neat it would be. Sidney and Lucas are constantly loving on Will and they have never showed any signs of resentment or anger for the time he takes me away from them. I have been awed by how much Sidney likes to take care of Will and LOVES to hold him any chance she gets. Yesterday she told me, "Mom, do you know what my two favorite things to do are? Hold Will and play my Nintendo DS!" She is always so careful with him and has gotten really good at holding him on her shoulder to burp him. It's so much fun to watch. I am very blessed.

My life at home

2008-12-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

I'm on maternity leave as you all know and it's been an adjustment. I'm not used to being home this much and it's bitter sweet. I love being with Will and I'm enjoying our time together. However, I'm anxious to start work again because there are so many projects that need to be done and I miss seeing my kids every week at church. I also miss seeing the pastors and staff every day at church. I feel like a hermit right now, but I know that it's so important for me to be home with my new little guy. I am thankful for all the wonderful people that have stepped up to help me during this break from KidZone. I'm also excited to see Myron and Julie do Kid's Connection on Sat. night and Sunday morning this week. For all you FFC blog readers out there, I'm looking for some crowd control help on Saturday night for the Kid's Connection! So, if you are interested let me know. It's from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Do you like how I use my blog to get people to volunteer? LOL!

Our Family at Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

I had the absolute pleasure of having my mom, brother, sister-in law, my nephews, my niece, and my other sister-in-law over for the week of Thanksgiving. We had a great time and my sister-in-law and mom did most of the cooking and cleaning which was soooooo wonderful. I ate a lot and then that night ate some more! I'm eating for two you know! I'm thankful for family, for good food, and God blessing me more than I could ever imagine.

some holiday pictures for your enjoyment . . .

2008-11-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

It's so easy!

2008-11-20T05:49:00.000-08:00

I found this great site where you can go feed hungry people for free! What could be better! Just click on the link to the right on my blog and try to figure out what the meaning of each word is. For every right answer, you give 20 grains of rice to a hungry person. You can answer as many as you want! Today I gave 420 grains of rice to a hungry person.

My Six Blessings

2008-11-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to reflect tonight on the six blessings God has given me. First, is my mom who has been there for every important event in my life and has been a huge supporter in everything I do. She has allowed me to rest and concentrate on Will while she cleans, plays with my kids, and cooks meals for all of us, and is a good friend when I need to talk. I am very spoiled! My next blessing is my husband who has gone way above and beyond to help me with all the things I can't do right now. He is such a wonderful father with Sidney and Lucas and it's really neat to see him bond with Will. My next three blessings are of course my kids. Sidney is such a little mama to Will and I've been so impressed with how grown-up she is now. She doesn't even mind holding Will when he's crying! Lucas just loves on Will, always wanting to hold him and give him a kiss on his head. And my precious new son, Will, who is doing so well. He's sleeping at night pretty well and is content most of the time, except when he's hungry of course! My heart's overflowing with gratitude to my heavenly Father who has given me all these blessings. I know that in the days ahead I will have challenges, but it's given me hope that God will be there through everything. The sixth blessing is our friends that have given us gifts, meals, and prayers. We are blown away at all the wonderful people at Farmland Friends who love on us and are ready to help whenever we need it. Thank you everyone.

More pictures of our beautiful boy!

2008-11-14T07:11:00.001-08:00

Our beautiful boy has arrived!

2008-11-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a very eventful day, starting with church and packing the shoe boxes and ending with the arrival of William Ryan Pinkerton! Enjoy the pictures!

My sixth picture

2008-11-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the picture challenge, so this is what I found. Sidney and I are at one of our favorite restuarants in San Diego, Rock Bottom Brewery. We love the asiago cheese dip with bread. It's the best dip I have ever tasted!

The Countdown is on!

2008-11-02T16:27:00.001-08:00

Only 5 days until Aunt Anne gets here, only 6 days until Grandma gets here, and only 7 more days until Will arrives! This is going to be a busy but exciting week. I have quite a bit to do before the baby comes so I hope everything happens on schedule. I know that's expecting a lot, but I know God hears my prayers and he'll help me get everything done.

Fall Festival

2008-11-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a Fall Festival in the church gym. It was really fun and we had quite a few kids. I was glad to have something available for the parents who like to take their kids somewhere safe and not go trick or treating. We had a lot of interesting costumes and I think my favorite was our secretary Jenny in the hippie costume! I loved it! You got to check out Tammy's blog for a picture. I apologize for not having pictures, I was so busy I didn't have time to get it out! AHHHH! I hate that. So if any of you have some pictures you can e-mail me of the Fall Festival, I would love it. mommypinkerton@hotmail.com Also, Pastor Kris, I really need a picture of you dressed up as me! Thanks! Sadly, the only pictures I took was of my kids at school at their costume parade.

2008-10-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

"My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long."

Psalm 71:8

This is my prayer for this week. God has shown me that I have been too negative lately.

37 weeks

2008-10-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would get a little more creative with my pregnancy pictures so I had my husband be artsy with the camera. I think it turned out pretty good. I love all the shadows and leaves in the picture.

MCE Fall Festival

2008-10-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

What a cute kitten!

Having fun on the hay ride. It was actually a little chilly! Yeah, for Fall!

The Big Event!

2008-10-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sidney asked for a Hannah Montana makeover in her room and a slumber party for her birthday. So, I went shopping and decked out her room and we invited four friends over to stay the night. Wow! I didn't realize what I was getting into! Only two girls decided to stay and later I was very thankful. Three nine-year-old girls can get very rowdy and I realized that an odd number of girls at a sleepover leads to hurt feelings. For some reason I don't remember being that emotional when I was nine, but I probably was. I need to ask my mom sometime. Anyway the important thing was that Sidney had a great time and overall it was a sucess. I can't believe my little girl is nine! She is almost to the double digits and she is going to have a new baby brother really soon! The other night I picked up Cinderella as our bedtime story and it was so sureal to hear her read it to me because when she was three I read that to her every night before bed. Now, here she is reading it to me with the same voices I used to use! I am thankful that I get to have another child to experience those special moments with.

Things you may not know about me

2008-10-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

I've been on a missions trip to an Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
I love rhubarb pie.
I drove a black Chevy truck in college (I loved that truck!)
The best concert I ever went to was Petra when I was in High School.
I saw Kevin Neeland (I hope I spelled that right!) from SNL at Disneyland.
I have been snow skiing in Breckinridge, Colorado and Angel Fire, New Mexico. Sooo fun!
In jr. high, I watched every episode of Saved By the Bell.
I have always wanted to be on the show "The Amazing Race" with my dad.
I ate a whole box of Mac and Cheese the other night!
I used to own cowboy boots and I actually wore them to High School!
My favorite movie is "You've Got Mail".

Feeling very FAT!

2008-10-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am at the point of my pregnancy where I feel sooooo huge, I'm never comfortable and my back constantly hurts. At night I can't sleep for more than 3 or 4 hours before I have to roll over or get up to go to the bathroom! It amazes me how much one month makes such a difference in the way I feel. Last month, I was feeling pretty good and I could get comfortable most of the time. Not anymore! This is going to be a looooooong month. I don't even want to post a picture of me because I feel so huge. You'll just have to enjoy the very fat cat. Well, I think that's enough wining for tonight. Good night to you all, I envy your restful night!

Reflections this morning

2008-10-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here sipping my yummy Christmas Blend Starbucks with Mocha Almond Fudge creamer and I'm reflecting on the fun night I had with Tammy and the little one. We decided to make some crafts and baked goods to sell at the Fridays in Farmland Farmer's Market. I really enjoyed baking all day Friday, it helps me de-stress. I know that sounds crazy but I really enjoy it! I made an apple pie, peanut brittle, and some surprise bundles. What are suprise bundles you ask? They are almond flavored cupcakes with a hershey kiss inside and frosting on top. This is one of my favorite recipies that my mother-in-law makes. The peanut brittle I made in the microwave if you can believe it and it is sooooooo good. This is my mom's favorite recipe during the holidays. Tammy made some carmel popcorn (which everyone raves about!), monster cookies, apple crisp and some really neat drink coasters that she made by hand. We had quite a good spread of goodies on our table. It was really neat to see dowtown Farmland come alive with all kinds of booths, people walking, and all the businesses open. We didn't get as much business as we wanted but during the last hour Tammy sold out of her carmel popcorn (some guy bought like 4 bags!) and I only had one bag of peanut brittle left. I think the best part was just hanging out with Tammy and talking to all the people that came by. I even got to plug our Fall Festivall for the church! Sidney and the little one handed out fliers for me to everyone they saw walking by. It amazes me how much kids are not afraid to go right up to people and talk to them, especially my daughter. She has always been like this and I admire her for it. She has even made me come out of my shell more! Who would of thought an eight year old could help a thirty-two year old be more outgoing? She's amazing and I hope she never changes that part of her personality. All in all we had a great time and even earned a little extra money! Emphasis on the word "little"!

Thanks to Tammy, I'm a fan of Brooke Fraser!

2008-10-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a song that I really love right now and it's an awesome video too! Just click here: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=Brooke+Fraser&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title

Fall is here and I'm happy

2008-10-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

The leaves falling, wearing sweaters, finally putting on socks for the first time since last winter, the smell of wood burning, the beautiful sunsets, that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner, the bright orange and red colors coming alive everywhere you look, drinking hot apple cider, turning my oven on and baking again, and pumpkins sitting on people's doorsteps are just some of my favorite things about Fall. What are some of your favorite things?

Week 32!

2008-09-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

Here I am at 32 weeks! Feeling REALLY pregnant!

Diary of a Children's Pastor

2008-09-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to finally see everyone back at church now that summer is over! I had 61 kids this last Sunday! Yeah! I love it, the more kids, the better. With the program we are running right now, it works best with 50+ kids. The more kids we have, the more energy and enthusiasm we have. Here's a link to the video the kids are experiencing right now: http://www.kidmo.com/shop/clip.aspx?series=kidmo&productid=10115

The focus this last Sunday was asking God to help us with our bad habits. Not just the habits of picking your nose, or biting your finger nails, but the habits of little white lies, disobeying parents, hitting your sister, or always thinking of yourself. It made me look at my life and figure out which habits I have that I need to ask God to break. This is what I figured out. I have the habit of getting impatient with my kids when something in my day doesn't go right. I have the habit of getting a negative attitude when people don't do what I think they should do. I have the habit of spending money I don't need to spend just to spend money. I could go on and on. So, I am asking God to help me with these areas in my life. I'm looking for a change and I think this is a great way to start. I'm tired of the old way I do things, I want Christ to be seen in EVERYthing I do. What about you, what kind of bad habits do you have that you want God to break?

Missing California . . .

2008-09-05T05:44:00.001-07:00

Fun at Disneyland

Wild Animal Park

Just missing California today and our family, so I thought I would post some pics of what we used to do. Enjoy!

Beautiful Morning

2008-08-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

Now that the kids are back to school, I get an oppportunity to have morning quiet time. I loved hanging out with my kids when they were home, but it is nice to get back into a routine. I almost forgot how nice it is to just sit and listen to what God is saying to me. With my schedule, two kids, a dog, and a wonderful husband it is hard to find those moments of queitness. Yesterday morning I read about God's promises to David in 2 Samuel 7:25. With everything in this life so temporary, what a relief it is to know that God's promises are everlasting and permanent. And David didn't just stop there, he gave praise to God for the promises yet to come and for just being God. Just take a look in your Bible and you will find countless promises God has made to His children. Promises to love us, guide us, protect us, heal us, and reward us with eternal life. How many people on Earth can promise those things and keep those promises? None that I can think of. So, why do I put my trust in earthly things so many times? This passage was a great reminder to me to EVERY day put my trust in God because His promises are real and He is the one who will LOVE me through it all.

Diary of a Children's Pastor

2008-08-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

So I noticed that I haven't talked about my ministry lately so I thought I would give you all an update. Last Sunday KidZone had a visit from Mrs. Fluffybutter, a nutty Sunday School Teacher from England! I had a ball dressing up and acting like Mrs. Doubtfire! The kids seemed to love it and they were fascinated with my blond, puffy, out-of-control wig. Hopefully the kids learned a thing or two and weren't too distracted with my funky costume! Our focus was showing the kids how important it is to read the Bible to know how to make the right choices in their life. God gives us wisdom if we read His Word. This week the kids will be visited by the looney, "Lenny the Lab Assistant" who will show the kids a cool science experiment! I can't wait! Our focus will be Amplifying the change God has made in us by being baptized. Baptism is "showing people on the outside what God has done on the inside". And don't forget our Church picnic and Baptism after church this Sunday! Stay tuned for more updates on KidZone!

Amazing Divers!

2008-08-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

James and I are watching the women's final springboard diving event and it's crazy! I can't imagine climbing up on that springboard and jumping that high doing all those twists and turns, and then trying to go straight in the water without very much splash. I really admire those divers. The announcers were talking about one American diver who hit her head on the springboard quite a while ago but she is back at these olympics competing in the final. She had a broken jaw bone and several teeth had to be replaced! How do you get back up there after that? Amazing! All these athletes I've been watching over the past week have exceeded the expectations of the media and I'm just baffled at what they are capable of. These athletes train, train, train for years and this is basically the one shot they have at some kind of acknowledgment for all the hard work. I wish I had that much dedication to something in my life. I think there is a lot to learn from these athletes. In my own life, I enjoy getting noticed for something I have done and sometimes when I don't get noticed, I get a little upset. God doesn't want me to get caught up in that, he wants me to serve him NO MATTER WHAT. These athletes train so hard for this one chance at a gold and even if they don't get it, they keep training for the next Olmpics! They want that Gold! This is what they were born to do. I want my life goal to be this, that no matter what happens and no matter who notices I will serve God. My reward at the end is far better than a gold medal!

A Year of Events

2008-08-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sitting here at my computer, I was thinking about how James and I have been here at Farmland a year and all the changes that have occured within that time. Moving to a completetly different place around all new people is always a challenge, but I will say that Farmland Friends Church has been so supportive of our family and I can't even express my gratitude for that. I think the hardest part for me is not being around family. Ever since James and I got married, we have lived by either my family or his, so this year has been quite an adjustment. For me there is a feeling of safety and comfort when you know that you can call your family anytime and they will come over. Seeing my family a couple weeks ago reminded me of that feeling. I am so fortunate to have such a loving and supportive family. Despite my longings for my mom or dad to be near by, God has blessed me with others in my life that have encouraged me and loved me when I needed it. Just the other day, Yvonne Sorensen hugged me with tears in her eyes and told me how proud she was that I was in ministry and what a great job I was doing at Mega Sports Camp. That was so special to me becuase she has known me for a while and it felt like my mom was there saying that to me.
Another big event in our life this year was finding out I was pregnant! For me, since I have lost a baby once, it was a little stressful. I was worried for the first few months, but now I am at ease. God has given me a peace and I know that he is taking care of me and little Will. Yes, that is what we have decided to name him. William Ryan Pinkerton, after James' dad William (Bill) Pinkerton. New life has begun and an older life has ended this year. A couple of weeks ago my grandmother in Idaho died, so I have been struggling with some guilt for not taking the time to go and see my grandparents when I had the chance. Around the same time, we found out my Aunt has been diagnosed with cancer. I'm so glad God knows what is best and that His hand is in all of this. I know that I couldn't deal with all of this without Him. Thank you Father for just being my comfort and constant friend throughout all the changes in my life. "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our Lord stands forever!"

A DAY AT MEGA SPORTS CAMP 2008

2008-08-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Kansas Trip Part 2

2008-08-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Kansas part 1

2008-08-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Playing with the Cousins!

Four Generations

What a Let-Down!

2008-07-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

So, today we were supposed to be driving to Kansas, however, the van's gage system was going bezerk on us. The van has been acting up occasionally but we thought it would be okay on the trip. WRONG! After we ate a delicious breakfast at Cracker Barrel, we got back in the van and it went crazy on us again. We didn't know how much gas we had or how fast we were going (even though everyone was passing us!) James made the executive decision when we got to Indianapolis, to turn around and go back for the car. When we got home, we sadly made the decision to start again early tomorrow morning. What a day! I hate it when you get your hopes up and prepared for something new and then all your hopes get dashed in a single moment. I know, I'm sounding really dramatic! I don't know why it bothered me so much, maybe becuase I really want to see my family and it's just one more day I have to wait. So, after a few tears were shed, God revealed to me that this happened for a reason and my attitude needed to get in check. I'm sure glad God has patience with me and it never runs out! I'm also glad my family has patience with me, especially my husband!

The right way to grill (written in honor of PK)

2008-07-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to help PK out by posting a picture of what a grill is supposed to look like when in use. Notice how the hot dogs are cooking evenly and the fire is not too hot. I hope this helps you PK. Just wanted to be there for you. Also, fried green tomatoes go great with grilled hot dogs! If you haven't had them, please try them. It's the right amount of sour and salty mixed together for a great taste.

Now an expert bike rider!

2008-07-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Deceptively Delicious

2008-07-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

So, the other day I was watching Oprah (I know, I know, I only watch it when she does shows on food and gives out stuff!) She had Jessica Seinfield, Jerry Seinfield's wife, on the show and she was talking about her cookbook Deceptively Delicious. She hides vegtable puree in different foods becuase her kids are super picky. I had heard of this before and I was always like, "There is no way my kids would eat broccoli puree in brownies!" I kept watching and they took some of the food to an elementary class to see how well the kids liked it. They actually loved all the food! After that I kinda put it out of my head and then today I was at the Farmland Library Reading Bug program. I saw the cookbook displayed on the shelf so I decided to give it a try. Looking through it I found some yummy recipies that I think I will try the next couple weeks. You'll have to stay tuned to see if my kids go for the cauliflower puree in the scrambled eggs!

Can I live here mom?

2008-07-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the Pinkerton family along with some of the other pastors went up to Quaker Haven Camp this past week for Pastor's Short Course. The first day we were there my daughter turned and asked me, "Mom, I want to live here! Can we live here?" Right from the start my kids were lovin' it. It was really beautiful there and not too hot. Most of our time was spent on the beach playing in the sand. At first Sid and Lucas didn't want to go to the kid sessions while the adult were in their session, but by the end of the camp they were begging to go. The big reason was all the neat kids they met and hung out with. Both Sid and Lucas made one really good friend and I was so proud of them. The parts I really enjoyed were relaxing, hanging out with Tammy and Shelby. and the sessions with Wes Davis and Doug Shoemaker. I was reminded to just be real with my kids at church and to really pay attention to how they percieve what I am trying to share with them. Perception makes a huge difference in the way kids try to understand. I'm going to focus more on this idea and hopefully my kids at church will start living out what they are learning. Overall, a wonderful, relaxing mini-vacation.

How come I've never heard of Laminin?

2008-06-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

A friend from High School sent me a link to a Youtube video that blew me away. I am a huge Louie Giglio fan ever since I saw him speak at the Orange Conference. On this video Louie Giglio speaks about our Father staying with us and carrying us through anything that we go through. He is really fired up and his words are powerful. Well, it just gets better from there. He ends talking about a protein cells in our body called Laminin. At first I was saying to myself, "Okay Laminin is pretty cool, it holds our body together like a rebar in concrete. Neat." Then, he showed a picture of what it looks like in our bodies and tears starting rolling down my cheeks. God knit us together in our mother's wombs and put his special mark on us on one of the most important structures that hold us together: cells. You have to see this for yourself, so here is the link. I hope God speaks to you like he did with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4

Me at 20 weeks!

2008-06-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

Bikes, nests, and swings!

2008-06-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write about some activities we have been doing outside. James has been working with Lucas on his bike. In the video he's a little wobbly but it was only his second day to try. Today he's been riding all by himself and I'll update you with another video. As a parent, you get this overwhelming feeling of pride when you see your child accomplish a new task. James and I were almost emotional watching him ride for the first time. Nothing is better than seeing your child figure something out and succeed. These are the times when parenting is so rewarding and I can't wait to see what other big events are ahead for our "not so little anymore" son. Of course another activity we enjoy is swinging on our new play set. I tried to get a few pictures of their happy faces. Then we took a picture of a bird's nest that Sidney has been buggin' me non-stop to get out of the tree in our backyard. I finally gave in and got it down. The kids thought it was so cool that the bird used our plastic popsicle wrappers they forgot to pick up to build it's nest. I guess birds can use anything! I was so blown away about how sturdy this nest was. It's amazing that God gives these birds the ability to make a sturdy home for their young out of plastic, mud, and grass. These are just some of the normal but fun things we're doing this summer? What kinds of things to you do outside? I would love some ideas if you have any!

Enjoying the Summer

2008-06-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed the nice summer days lately. James and I have worked out a great work and kid schedule. I go to work in the morning, come home at noon and James goes in and gets off at dinner time. It's nice to spend time with my kids and do fun things together. Today they painted their arms and legs with shaving cream colored with food coloring. They had a blast and got clean at the same time! What could be better for a mom? So, I'm just really enjoying my laid back summer becuase I know that pretty soon my life will be a little hectic with the added bonus of a third child!