Still Here!

Hello Friends,

I realize it has been 2 months since my last post and I hope you are still there. As my husband would say "there are no excuses", but there has been a few things going on-so lets get you updated. First, we have a beautiful baby boy-Case Graham Roberts!!! Yeah!!! He was born on Friday, May 22 at 10:30AM. He weighed 7lb 7oz. (I loved this) and was 20 in. long. He was the missing piece to our family and now our family feels complete. We took him home and I must admit going from 2 to 3 kids threw me for a loop. I think I was naive in thinking "its only one more." Well, that one more was kicking my tail and he was a great baby.
I was starting to get the hang of things when Case was 3 weeks old when Case started getting sick. I had taken all three to FCA camp for the day and while we were there Case threw up, and I mean a lot and he didn't stop. I knew something wasn't right when it would hit the wall behind me. We took him to the Dr. and I wanted them to see what he was doing so I fed him in the waiting room and sure enough he performed right on schedule. After witnessing what he was doing and feeling on his belly, the Dr. said "I am going to send you on over to the hospital and we will probably have surgery tonight or in the morning." My heart sank. Tears started to flow. And I managed to get the words out, "What is wrong with my baby?" She assured me it was a simple procedure, but he had Pyloric Stinosis. This is where the muscle between the stomach and intestine grew too big that it wasn't letting anything go between the two; therefore, since it wasn't getting through it was coming up. The positive was I had heard of this because my husband had it when he was a baby. The negative was I heard horror stories from my mother-in-law about my husband when he was a baby.
We went to the hospital and they started an IV immediately because he was so dehydrated. If you have ever had a child with an IV, you know it is heart wrenching. He was just so tiny with all these tubes and he is just looking at you like "what are they doing to me?"
He had surgery the next morning and it went perfectly. He handled it like a champ, probably better than we did. Four days letter we were finally heading home:) Praise Jesus!
All that to say we are the proud parents of a now healthy baby boy who brings us so much joy! This is only the first chapter of the missing two months. Stay tuned for chapter two!

Passing the Test

As we approach the end to another school year I keep hearing about tests: Semester tests, final tests, 9 weeks tests etc. Well, there has been one test that we take many times in our lives and that is the testing of our faith. Yes, God tests our faith throughout our entire lives. I feel like I am being tested in my life right now. Tested if I trust Him, Tested if I believe Him, Tested that I have complete obedience to Him, Tested that I completely depend on Him. And if I were to be completely honest with you at the point in the test I am flunking miserably. In my life right now I am extremely pregnant and having more false labor than I ever had with the other two. My husband and I have been praying about where God will take us in the realm of coaching because we just feel that God has something He wants to do through us. We are growing increasingly weary, frustrated, and impatient.

I read this verse today in James 1:2 and it says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverance and let perserverance have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." And I am reminded once again that God won't work through you until He has completely worked in you. I am far from being "perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
So today I will try to pass the testing of my faith and "consider it pure joy" that I am having another baby and that I have an incredible husband who feels the same calling as I do and that I serve a God that no matter how hard I plead and beg for Him to move now-he will not waiver and will never be late.

PS. Don't forget to sign up as a follower at the bottom of the page:)

Imaginary Friend

Hello Friends,

We have a new addition to the family! No, it is not the baby we have been waiting:) His name is Buster the dog. Buster eats with us, plays with us, rides in the car with us, and does about everything with us. He is the perfect family pet, however, we have never seen him because Buster is the imaginary friend of our 4 year old son, Cale.

We love watching the imagination of our little boy run wild and I have found out that imaginary friends run in the family. My husband had an imaginary friend named Mickey growing up that would play baseball and football with him. I love hearing stories from my mother-in-law about Chris and Mickey.

I can honestly say there have been times that I have felt like God is more like my imaginary friend rather than the creator of the universe. There are those times where you just don't feel Him, see Him, or hear Him. Every person goes though those times. The great thing is that God is the same whether I feel Him or not. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:13 that God is faithful even when we are faithless. Praise God!

There is an Indian legend that says when an Indian boy wants to make the transition to a man he must sit in the woods on a tree stump for an entire night without opening his eyes. No matter what he hears or how scared he might get, he can not open his eyes. For those who pass the test, they open their eyes to find that their father was sitting right next to them, protecting them the entire night. Although they did not feel their father-he was there. Although they did not hear their father-he was there. Although they did not see their father- he was there.

You may not feel, hear, or see God, but I promise you He is not imaginary-He is there!

P.S. I now have a follower list where you can add your name at the bottom of this page. I would love for you to sign up so that I know my husband is not the only one who reads this blog:)

Finishing Strong

Hello Friends!

Finish Strong-Isn't that a saying that every sports team has used at one point or another? A saying that represents not giving up-playing with your whole heart until the last play of the last game. I am finding that right now I need this saying posted in my house, in my car, in my office, and any other place that I might see it. I am in the stage of pregnancy that I am having those days that it is extremely hard to finish strong. Hard to finish this pregnancy strong without breaking down daily because I am so uncomfortable and getting impatient to meet our little boy. Hard to finish out my work with FCA on a daily basis because all I think about is getting to my maternity leave and spending time with not only the baby, but watching my other two children interact and welcome Case into the family.

I was reminded this last week at Easter services of the last words Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished." If there was ever anyone that we could use as the ultimate example of Finishing Strong it is none other than Christ himself. We sometimes forget that because He was both God and man that He didn't want to go through what He did any more than you and I would. In the Garden of Gethsemane he fell to his knees and ask God "if there is any other way, please take this cup from me. Not as I will, but as you will." He could have quit right there, but He didn't. He could have quit when He went before Pilate, but he didn't. He could have quit when they were beating him beyond recognition, but he didn't. No! He went all the way to the cross and Finished Strong! And Praise the Lord He did!

There has been no other words that have changed the course of history more than these three words-It is finished! So once again, my Savior comes to my rescue and I am reminded that the same spirit that made Him finish strong is the same Spirit that will help me and you finish strong in our everyday lives. Whether it be a pregnancy, an end to another school year, a struggling marriage, a battle with an illness or whatever you may be facing, let these same words resonate with you, challenge you and encourage you to Finish Strong!

Blizzard in the Spring

Hello girls!

I hope you are enjoying your spring weather! I just wanted to let you know how mine started out-not what I expected. With spring comes warmer weather, beautiful flowers blooming, riding bikes outside with the kids, Easter, new life and I love it, but have yet to experience it. Last week my grandpa passed away and we went up to the Oklahoma Pahandle for the funeral. The funeral was supposed to be on Friday afternoon, but winter reared its ugly head again with a vengence or somebody really ticked off the groundhog. We were in an all out blizzard Friday and Saturday, unable to leave the house because all the roads were closed, and did I mention with 7 kids ages 8 and under. AHHHHHH!!!! Needless to say- it was crazy!!!
Even though I literrally experienced a blizzard in the spring, I really experience blizzards in the spring a lot. Things will be looking great in family, job, children, marriage or all of the above and (as Emeril would say) Bam-a blizzard hits. It could be an unexpected death in the family, an unexpected move or job loss, a child making bad choices etc. Whatever your blizzard is-it doesn't mean there will be no spring. God's delays are not his denials! Spring ALWAYS comes-just maybe not when or how you expected. Know that God is never late and will bring you Spring once again. In Romans 8 it says, God works all things to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." -Even blizzards in the spring!

P.S.-BABY UPDATE
We are now about 7 weeks out! Woo hoo!!! This baby is kicking my tail! Literally, he kicks so hard:) We will have a talk about that when we meet face to face! I love Him so much already! I am not sure I have told you all the name, but it is Case Graham Roberts! Thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers for this amazing blessing. I can't wait to introduce him to you all.

Love ya!

Being Real

Hello Friends!

I had the opportunity to speak at a women's conference this past weekend. It was a great time and fellowship with these ladies. I spoke on women of the bible, specifically those who had personal encounters with Jesus and how he changed their lives and how that relates to ours. One thing I have learned about working in women's ministry and, of course, being a woman myself we aren't always real.

It's like a lady who was asked to bake something for her church's bake sale, but she forgot. That morning she was fumbling around trying to bake something real fast and ending up making a chocolate cake, but when she pulled it out of the oven the middle had bottomed out. She was in a panic and an idea came to her head. She found a role of toilet paper put it in the middle of the cake and frosted the whole thing. She gave her husband strict instructions: "when I take this to the bake sale, you be the first one in line and you have to buy this cake." Her husband came home, but with no cake. He said it had already been bought. She was mortified at the thought of who bought the cake. The next day she went to a party at a friends house. When she walked in, she noticed the cake was on the table to be served for dessert. She was making her way to the hostess to tell her not to serve that cake when she overheard another lady complimenting the hostess on how beautiful the cake looked. She then heard the hostess say, "Thanks, I made it myself."

We laugh and joke, but we have all been there when it comes to saving face in front of other women, friends, family, enemies, fans etc. for the sake of looking like we have it all together. Being real is not reality for women these days. There is a sense of perfection that we feel we have to portray to the world. You know we all have those women in our lives who look as though they have it all together: marriage is perfect, children are perfect, house is perfect. I get winded even saying those things. We need to take the masks off and share with one another our imperfections so that God can use those imperfections to fulfill the purpose he has for you and me. When Jesus called His disciples he called the "unschooled and ordinary" not the blemish-free and perfect ones. Yes, I love my husband, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, I love my children, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, my house looks like a tornado hit it-most of the time:) We are all a work in progress and to appear to those around you that you have it all together means you are missing out on what God wants to do in you and through you. After all, why mess with perfection?

Chapel

Hello friends,

Wow! I can't believe it is March already! And with that comes OU softball chapels for me. I serve as the chaplain for the University of Oklahoma softball team. This is my 4 year and let me tell you- this one part of the ministry is more challenging than the other parts combined. We have a chapel on Sundays of home games and do a bible study every other week. We had our first chapel this past weekend and had 12 out of 16 players attended-our best attedance. Woo Hoo!
You all remember this time in our life when we were free to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, and with whom ever we wanted. You are trying to find out what you believe and if its the same as your parents, grandparents, or none of the above. Its a time for fun and to find out who you are as a person. I once heard that college was "Satan's playground." How scary is that to think about and I think about it often as I deal with these amazing young ladies. All I know is that these girls are away from home, parents, family, friends, and I hope that I can be an outlet to them and give them advice based on the Word and not the World. If you have a child in college-pray for them! If you have a child in high school-pray for them. If you have a child in diapers-pray for them.
One of the prayers that I pray for my children everyday is that God would always put people in their life (friends, mentors, coaches, positive role models) that reflect that of Christ. So even though I may not always be there I can rest assured God is-even if they do go to Satan's playground.
Have a super week!
Sarah