Spring has sprung!

I don't really know why but I have just enjoyed God's creation coming into bloom this year! I was so excited to see my daffodils making their way up through the mulch and my day lilies aren't far behind! But I was most excited to watch my cherry tree bloom for the first time! You may remember that Nate and the girls bought and planted this tree for me last Mother's Day. We didn't get to see any blooms last year so I was crossing my fingers all winter that it would withstand the cold and bud come spring! It has! It is no small joy for me to see this tree each time I leave and come back home and it reminds me of my sweet family! The pictures tell the story of God's creation!
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge."
Psalm 19:1-2

Author's Tea

Claire was selected by her teacher, Mrs. Anderson, to share her story about Disney World at this month's Author's Tea. She practiced so hard for her reading and did a great job! This was her first time speaking in front of an audience and she conquered her butterflies beautifully! Thank you to Nana for coming to see Claire and enjoying the event with us! The picture above is Claire with our principal, Mrs. Mihalic and the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Hellams.
Here is Claire's story:
Disney World
When I was five I went to Disney World. I rode on the tea cup. My Dad didn't like it because it made him sick. (This got a huge chuckle from the audience!) I got a picture with Belle. She had a pretty yellow dress that was really long. My mom went with me on Space Mountain and it was very dark in there. There was a giant hill and robot people. I got a pink wig put on my hair just for fun. We had lunch with Cinderella it was really good. My very favorite thing was that lots of princesses signed my book!

Reedy River Run 2010

Both Claire and Camdyn participated in the Kids Mile Run this past Friday in downtown Greenville. They both did really well despite the chilly weather and they both received a medal upon crossing the finish line! This was their very first race and we were so proud of them! Way to go Snyder girls! :)

Snow Day Easter Eggs!

With the warmer weather we've had the past few days it is hard to believe that last week the girls were dismissed early from school for snowy weather! The girls had the idea to dye Easter eggs on their afternoon off! Here are some pictures we took of dyeing the eggs and their thoughts about the meaning of Easter!

Restore Conference 2010

My brother in law is a pastor at CrossPoint Church in Clemson, SC and was instrumental in organizing the Restore Conference this weekend featuring Paul David Tripp. The conference theme was "A Quest For More."
Nathan and I along with my Dad, Nancy, and Cayce and Jason all attended. The conference was challenging and motivates me to really examine my life and how I am living it.

Here are some of the take-aways I'm going to be pondering over the next few weeks:

Session 1:
There is a glory war going on inside each of us....raging and battling over who or what will get the glory in our lives.
We were created to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It will never be about ME! And leading a life where I am the center will only lead to frustration because...it isn't about ME!
So, am I living for something bigger than myself? To deny God HIS GLORY is to deny my humanity because that is how we are hard wired to live.

Session 2: 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
We all migrate to the center of our world, a place we were never meant to be. We tend to shrink our lives to our wants, our needs, our feelings. The DNA of sin = SELFISHNESS. How much of the anger and frustration in my life is over God's Kingdom rather than my own wants, my own needs, and my own feelings? What am I making more important that it needs to be?

Session 3: Hebrews 11:1-7, Acts 17: 22-31
How do I live like God is the center of my life? To do this the first step is to believe that God exists. To believe that God exists is to believe (1.) in God as creator, (2.) that God is sovereign, and (3.) that God is my Savior. Believing these three things is not something I do with my brain but something I do with my LIFE!

Session 4: Matthew 6:19-33
We are all also involved in a battle between Kingdom of God vs. kingdom of self. Very few treasures have intrinsic value - most have an assigned value. Intrinsically we are all treasure seekers. 3 Treasure principles: (1.) Everyone lives for some kind of treasure. (2.) The thing that is your treasure will control your heart. (3.) What controls your heart controls your behavior. My words and behavior in all circumstances are always related to an expression of my attempt to get out of that situation what is valuable to ME. There are 2 kinds of treasures: earthbound treasures which are physical things and those things acquired through anxiety bound needs and God-oriented treasures of the kingdom. The earthbound treasure will fade away and has no capacity to satisfy and usually results in in us ending up fat, addicted, and in debt.

Session 5: Galations 5:13-26
To examine the true character of my love for Christ I need to examine the relationships of those closest to me. God's entire law is summed up in one command: Love your neighbor as yourself. Always fix human relationships vertically (with God) first then work horizontally (with person). We are not in this struggle by ourselves - we have the Spirit living with us.

Obviously a lot to think about! I am looking forward to seeing fruit of this conference in my walk with Christ and in my relationships. Thank you Cayce and Jason for inviting us to Restore! :)

More information about Paul David Tripp can be found on his website:
www.paultrippministries.org

Camdyn reads her first book!

Camdyn reads her first book at age 5! We love you Camdyn and are so proud of you!

So Long, Insecurity

I've started reading Beth Moore's latest book titled, So Long, Insecurity. I must admit, I turned the book upside down when carrying it to the check out counter....oh how pervasive insecurity can be! I was insecure while purchasing a book on insecurity. Oh I have a lot of growing to do....
Beth's book offers one definition of insecurity:
"Insecurity refers to a profound sense of self-doubt -
a deep feeling of uncertainty about our basic worth
and our place in the world. Insecurity is associated
with chronic self-consciousness, along with a chronic
lack of confidence in ourselves and anxiety about our
relationships. The insecure man or woman lives in
constant fear of rejection and a deep uncertainty
about whether his or her own feelings and desires
are legitimate."
After reading this definition, I was actually patting myself on the back as I examined myself and thought that most of those tenets really didn't describe me.

Then I kept reading:

"Some of us never seek healing from God for our insecurities
because we feel like we don't fit the profile. We think insecurity
only looks one way, mousy, maybe even inept -and that's not
exactly who we see in the mirror. At least not once the mascaras
on. And it certainly is not the woman we present to the public.
Insecurity's best cover is perfectionism. That's where it becomes an art form."

Oh dear. Yep, this hit me square in the eyes. I am constantly on a path of being humbled at the work God has to do in my life. I am so thankful for this book and for the online community through Beth's blog that is working through this issue together. Lord, help me to believe your Word. Help me to break free from the chains of insecurity. This is a journey I am ready to take.

Think this book might hit home with you too? Check out Beth Moore's blog with details about the online discussion group.
http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2010/02/so-long-insecurity-discussion-group.html