Cherry Red Hot Rod!

I love our teens. Everyday is just such a new day with them. Each day is filled with....well, teenage stuff and I LOVE IT. (Check out my blog post titled I LOVE IT! for more stuff I love about my life!)

Our son is working on a long term project. A 1964 Ford Falcon...and it needed a TON OF MAN HOURS TO COMPLETELY RESTORE THIS THING TO ITS GLORY DAYS. This is his "Senior Project". The goal was to pick a project as a freshman/sophomore (that would take an epic amount of time!) so by the end of your Senior Year would be complete. The only requirement is that it needed to be in an area of your hobby or an occupation that you may want to venture into as a post grad. 

He loves restoring stuff...

This is the "before"  snapshots...

THIS IS THE TEAR DOWN...

here goes the primer coat...

AND THEN IT TURNS INTO A PRETTY SWEET

CHERRY 

RED

HOT ROD!

By the time his Junior Year rolls around...it will be finished!

THE PAINT JOB LOOKS AWESOME!!!!

He has put so much time-$-and effort into this

life project.

I can't wait to fly down the road

with him-at in the drivers seat...

windows down...

music on..

seeing the joy of a job

well done all over the face

of our really cool teenager.

*

 The car has got a long way to go

before it hits the road.

It still needs

seats.

carpet.

windshield.

doors.

hood.

SEATBELTS...

But, ladies..when it does get road worthy-WATCH OUT! 

*

 Aren't we all like this project?

 The before picture is pretty tough...

the tear down is even tougher. 

But we have a God that sees 

the Cherry Red Hot Rod 

that he created us to be. 

It takes a lifetime. 

It takes work.

 It takes vision.

It takes the skillful hands of our Heavenly Father

who knows what is best!

He created our beginnings

even before the world began...

and sees our ending

and everything in the middle

He wants us to be different-to be noticed not for all the shine and the glam... or for all of the hard work we have done...

but he wants us to be a witness of what 

GOD HAS DONE TO RESTORE US!

INSIDE. AND. OUT.

THAT IS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS!!

AND ONE DAY...

We will hear those words...

Well done.

Not because we did such a bang up job

at fixing our own life...

but because we made much

of The One

who Restores the Broken.

************************

Feel free to check out Derek's other projects over the last few years at Derek's Truck Shop- Quality Restoration

Dirt & the Farm Wife

Most of humanity can see Spring coming by the grass waking up--the daffodils and tulips begin to bloom. Fresh warm breezes blowing gently...ah, Spring.
Not the farm wife.
We first notice that spring has arrived in our laundry rooms.

I have yet to find an appliance commercial that uses

a farmers clothes

to advertise how effectively

their machines work.

Here is my arsenal to battle the 

"SPRING (GREASE AND MUD) FLING"

I can't ever get the clothes as clean as they need to be

 That's ok.

Because typically the next day

you will never be able to notice

....by looking, smelling or touching ...

that they were clean just 12 hours ago.

Same goes for the people that wear 

those clothes...

I love this shirt.

Don't ask me what piece of equipment that he was pressure-washing to get that dirty, either...

you don't want to know.

I have been holding on to these pics since April wanting to do a post on Dirt.

BUT....it was done for me!

Ann Voskamp beat me to the punch on her blog the other day.

I LAUGHED SO HARD AT HER PICTURES!

.... AND THE SCENARIO

THAT PLAYED OUT IN HER KITCHEN

IS PLAYED OUT DAILY IN 

OUR KITCHEN.

Some of the dirt sticks to clothes.

That's the dirt

we deal with as

farm wives.

Some other kinds of dirt

stick to our hearts.

That's the dirt

we deal with as

human beings.

Check out the link

by Ann Voskamp

When your life feels Messy...The Real Truth About Your Dirt- A Blog post by Ann Voskamp

It gives me a new perspective

on laundry.

The Right Man

Ok-so teenagers are

a.w.e.s.o.m.e.

Last night our family had the best time playing cards.

(and stayed up too late!)

The Southern Gospel tunes

(as well as Audio Adrenaline...)

were cranked up.

Hey, we only played one song at a time...

...and yes...the genres are opposite...

...don't send an email about it either! :)

We like it that way!

Everybody has their own groove.

Their own way to

praise Jesus.

We had a blast...

Our family is a singing family.

all. 4. parts.

and it is so much fun!

We have had the opportunity 

to share our music with

lots of people...

but when we can cut loose

in the kitchen

we sure make it sound interesting.

We have tenors trying to be

bass

We have bass trying to be

baritone

All wrapped up with

teenage hormones

I. love. it!!!!

Last night was no exception.

We laughed until our

sides hurt.

We smiled until the wrinkles in our cheeks

were fixed in place.

Uproarious

laughter.

One song came on over the speakers...

(below is the link!)

and as everyone sang...

I looked around the table...

at some pretty awesome teens.

What amazing things that God has planned.

pilot/musician/computer techie...future unfurled!!

author/musician/amazing cook...the sky is the limit!!

farmer/mechanic/business owner...no stopping him!!

What an awesome thing...

to be a parent...

to watch them grow up.

to make choices...

the good/ the bad/ the wise & not-so-wise 

and even...

well, um...ridiculously funny

and ridiculously NOT so funny.

Isn't THIS our job as Mom and Dad?!?!?

To point our kids to Christ!

...so they become the right type of men that the right woman wants...

And to raise daughters that desire that kind of right man?!

I am praying for all of you Mama's and Papa's out there trying your best to raise your kids to follow Jesus.

I am praying for all of the future Brides and Grooms out there that you aim to be all that God has called you to be.

To one day have a family that is sold out for Jesus Christ.

I Want To Be That Man by Brian Free and Assurance

click on the link for an incredible song!

Hey all you teens that 

follow this blog...

pray for your future spouse...

Don't settle for less!

Love ya'll!