The Green's: June 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Brotherly Love

Hope this love for his sister lasts forever!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Our baby girl finally has a full name...LakeLynn Koda Green! Yes, her first name has 2 capital L's. I loved the name Lake with Lynn as the middle name but Logan didn't want her to be called Lake Green so we compromised by combining the two. Of course, we wanted to be different (not big fans of common names) so I left the two L's capitalized. The Lynn comes from my family. My grandmother, Coco, & my middle names are all Lynn. She'll fit right in! Logan & I have been debating on her middle name for a few months & finally came up with Koda. Now, we're anxiously awaiting the delivery of her furniture tomorrow!

My 29th Birthday!!!!

Happy 29th Birthday to me!!! On June 21st, I began my last year in the 20's!

I woke Thursday morning to Logan & Stryker handing me birthday cards. I had to work that day, but had the opportunity to spend a little time with my family. Stryker opened his card to explain all about the card! Love it. He was so proud of that card!

Cheeeeeessssssseeeee!

Showing me his card

After work, the plans were to have dinner at Coco's house. It was actually a surprise party! Thank you Coco & Logan for surprising me. I appreciate everyone who came to make my day special.

Stryker wanting to open my presents early

determined to open the box

Aunt Barbara with Stryker & Lucy

helping me open presents

Stryker was shocked & very disappointed that all the boxes contained something for LakeLynn. Poor little guy.

It's so different having little girl clothes.

Janice, Barbara, & Jayne (family friends)

Stacy & her daughter Lucy

Stryker, Logan, & Fletch

Nick & Steve enjoying some pizza & ice cream cake

Lucy & Stryker playing in the dirt

Friday I took off work to enjoy the day with my family. Logan had meetings in Cullman so we drove up there to meet for lunch at Johnny's BBQ.

Stryker enjoying his chips at lunch

Saturday was an eventful day at the Birmingham Zoo. This was Stryker's first time to go & he absolutely loved it!

feeding the fish with mom

Riding the train

eating a cool treat - this boy loves his ice cream

my guys before we headed to the "trails of Africa"

Stryker stuck his head & would roar every time someone walked by

riding a camel with daddy (he was wondering why he couldn't ride by himself)

I'm sure that you know who won this stare down!

riding the carousel

petting goats

playing in the foam bubbles

finally, he dove in

running through the water

As you can see, Stryker was completely exhausted after the fun day at the zoo.

following along with watching Sprout

playing the kazoo (love how he would raise his arm while playing then throw the kazoo down before bowing)

first camel ride

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Book Review: Part I

I have been contemplating the purchase of Matthew West's new book entitled The Story of Your Life for awhile. Last week I finally ordered it & received it in the mail Monday. I am not much of a reader at all (guessing it's due to reading so much during school & staying on top of current research for work). Surprisingly, I am already halfway through the book in only 4 days! I would highly recommend this book. It's absolutely amazing! Below you will find some thoughts from the book to ponder. It's only from the first half of the book but I'll write another post after I finish.

"Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - 1 John 3:18

"Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian." - D.L. Moody

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

When you & I face trouble or heartache or pain, we can begin to focus on the darkness in our lives & miss the never-failing presence of God. After enough rejection & disappointment, we can even begin to doubt God, wondering if He's made a big mistake, wondering if He has forgotten about our trouble & our pain. But it's the accuser who whispers those lies. Satan is the one who calls your life worthless. He is the one who makes you doubt. Satan is the one who wants you to believe your life & God's ways are mistakes. When you are already suffering the troubles of this world, Satan can step in with his lies & make things even worse. My friend says, "The devil shouts; God whispers." Maybe all you've heard lately are the shouts.

He longs to work in your disappointment to bring good from your pain.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

His forgiveness covers our past, His power covers today, & His faithfulness covers our future. In Christ, all things are possible.

"We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:2-5

How does anyone rejoice in suffering? In the testing of their faith? I think we learn to rejoice in our testing because through the testing, we learn what to believe about God. We learn that our trials are not surprises to God. He has a purpose in everything that has been allowed. And His purpose is always about shaping us into the image of Christ. Teaching us in every trial to look more & more like Jesus. Turning our hearts & minds toward Him. We learn that Christ is with us. We participate with Him in suffering, & He with us. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us, & He meant it. The testing of our faith brings an intimate knowledge of Christ with us. His compassion toward us. His mercy for us. We learn that people who are tested by their trials can choose to stay with God or wander away in their anger. When there are no answers, people who are tested have to choose what they believe & whom they will turn to. We learn that our trials produce in us a character that cannot be shaped by any other means. That we are tested so that we will become people of perseverance, character, & hope. That truly great people have become stronger in their suffering.

"I don't want to get to the end of my life & find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well." - Diane Ackerman

Don't you want to live the width of your life too? There is only one real way to do this - by making choice to see beyond your own little world.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Song Review

"God's Not Dead" by Newsboys

Let love explode and bring the dead to life. A love so bold to see a revolution somehow.

Let love explode and bring the dead to life. A love so bold to see a revolution somehow. Now I'm lost in Your freedom. And this world I'll overcome.

My God's not dead. He's surely alive. He's living on the inside, roaring like a lion.

Let hope arise and make the darkness hide. My faith is dead. I need a resurrection somehow. Now I'm lost in Your freedom. And this world I'll overcome.

My God's not dead. He's surely alive. He's living on the inside, roaring like a lion.

Let heaven roar and fire fall. Come shake the ground with the sounds of revival.

I absolutely love when our worship band sings this song during church service! The words are very powerful and upbeat! God is not dead, He's continuing to remain in our lives. What a reassuring feeling.

"Healing Hand of God" Jeremy Camp

I have seen the many faces of fear and of pain. I have watched the tears fall plenty from heartache and strain. So if life's journey has you weary and afraid. There's rest in the shadow of His wings.

I have walked through the valleys, the mountains, and plains. I have held the hand of freedom that washes all my stains. If you feel weight of many trails and burdens from this world. There's a freedom in the shelter of the Lord.

And I have seen the healing hand of God. Reaching out and mending broken hearts. Taste and see the fullness of His peace. And hold on to what's being held out. The healing hand of God.

And I have touched the scars upon His hands to see if they were real. He has walked the road before me, he knows just how I feel. When you feel that there's not anyone, who understands your pain. Just remember all of Jesus's suffering.

'Cause I have seen the healing hand of God. Reaching out and mending broken hearts. Taste and see the fullness of His peace. And hold on to what's being held out.

Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you. He's near to the broken and confused. By His stripes our spirit is renewed. So enter in the joy prepared for you.

I have seen the healing hand of God. Reaching out and mending broken hearts. Taste and see the fullness of His peace. And hold on to what's being held out.

Everyone has difficult times in their lives. Remember that God heals. He heals you through all situations. Look around. Miracles are still occurring.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Father's Day 2012

Happy Father's Day to the most wonderful husband, hard working Christian man, & devoted dad. I am truly blessed to parent our children with you. We love you Logan!!!

You are Stryker's first hero & LakeLynn's first love.

We began Father's Day weekend celebration with a dinner at Stix on Friday night. Stryker loved watching the cook the food on the grill. He ate so much! Not sure how much Lake & I were able to eat since he was devouring everything that was in front of him!

I think he likes this place!

Stryker couldn't wait to give daddy his card so we gave them the cards on Saturday. As you can see, Stryker wanted to "help" daddy open his card.

Stryker wanted to keep daddy's card that he had picked out because it played "We will rock you"!

Note: we don't normally have this chair in the bathroom but I had to sit the majority of the time while getting ready during the first trimester of the pregnancy.

Coco kept Stryker at our home Saturday night while I took Logan on a date night. We actually just went to dinner at Red Robin & watched the movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Afterwards, Coco gave Logan his Father's Day gift: a new shirt, tie, & belt.

Sunday morning was spent at church for a "Dad's Fest!" Stryker enjoyed looking at all the stuffed animals before church began. He wasn't quite sure about the above animal though.

Love my guys

Following church service, we walked across the street to enjoy the motorcycles, cars, inflatables, & food (fresh seafood, BBQ, ice cream, & snow cones).

We met grandmomma, Brian, Christian, Brian's dad, & uncle Cody at Spring Valley Beach in Springville. Stryker loves the water! The picture above was taken before we left to come home.

an exhausted little boy

Let's play catch!

Coco bought Stryker a new baseball glove & ball that has velcro on it allowing him to learn how to catch! He would say "ready", catch the ball, throw the ball back, then run around the kitchen island as if he was running the bases. This went on for hours...

50's day at school

It was 50's day at Stryker's school this past Friday. I thought about dressing him in jeans with the pants rolled up & a white t-shirt but it's summertime. Instead, he was dressed in khaki shorts with a blue polo shirt (collar popped). Logan helped me gel his hair back for an added touch.

He liked watching daddy fix his hair in the mirror.

didn't like the finished product

Chick-fil-a chicken minis made the morning better.

My big boy's new back pack!

walking into school like such a big boy

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Song Review

"Set Me Free" by Casting Crowns

It hasn't always been this way. I remember brighter days. Before the dark ones came, stole my mind, wrapped my soul in chains.

Now I live among the dead. Fighting voices in my head. Hoping someone hears me crying in the night and carries me away.

Set me free of the chains holding me. Is anybody out there hearing me? Set me free.

Morning breaks, another day finds me crying in the rain. All alone with my demons. I am. Who is this man that comes my way? The dark ones shriek. They scream His name. Is this the One they say will set the captives free? Jesus, rescue me.

As the God man passes by, He looks straight through my eyes and darkness cannot hide.

Do you want to be free? Lift your chains. I hold the key. All power on Heav'n and Earth belong to me.

You are free. You are free. You are free.

Is there anything weighing you down today? Is there anything from your past that continues to define you? If so, give it to Jesus. Let Him set you free.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Let's party!

Our good friends the Helland's daughter (Lucy) celebrated her 2 year old birthday on Saturday. It was circus themed with a clown to entertain the children! Stacy & her sister did a wonderful job on whole party. We really enjoyed it!