2 Church Camps, 1 VBS, 1 Revival and a Partridge in a Pear Tree??

      This summer has just flown by riduclously fast. It is almost August, and time for Noah to start his PreKindergarten Home Schooling. I am so excited for him. I really want this to be exciting to Him too. We have a very nice lady that is in our church's association (First United) and she has helped me tremendously in making decisions, information giving, and in friendship as well. We have had a lot to talk about when we do get to talk! Now that school is about to start back I will get to see her and her sweet family at Youth Rally's, Mission Rally's, and Ladies Auxiliary District Meeting.
      We have had lots to celebrate this summer we had several saved at teen camp, and 6 saved at VBS. I am so looking forward to the Revival this week that Cody will be preaching at New Salem, which is my home church. I truly enjoy getting to hear my husband preach. I have seen God take and use him in HUGE ways, and I just think, WOW that's MY husband!  The other day at VBS we had a mom thank Cody on facebook for giving her son a BIBLE at VBS. She said it really "made his day". Well, she has no idea how much her encouraging words helped remind Cody that what he is doing is worth it all, and that IS what it's all about. I would really love to see her in church as well, maybe one day! :)
       I don't have many pictures to post, because I have been using my phone more, and it's all the way in my bedroom....so, just words for now! We have "Preaching in the Park" tomorrow evening, with Antioch in Perryville, and Temple that we are going to enjoy some fellowship with. I am getting tired just talking about everything we've got going on, but I am definitely ready for Fall time, back to school, football, and all of the beautiful things that the Lord blesses us with in the Fall time! Good Night, all!

Awesome God!

 Last we visited church camp for the week of North Central Family Camp. What an awesome week it would turn out to be! We took 50 people from our church, and out of that, one had to go home because he was sick, but 7 were saved! It was like a week of revival. One of the saved was one of my best friend's mother whom we have been praying for a long time.  Several saved were those of the bus ministry that we do. It is a joy to see them finally "get" it to where the light bulb comes on. God's Holy Spirit at work is unstoppable! Ellie Kate, Noah, and myself shared a bed the whole week, and yes, it was quite interesting to say the least. Elijah decided that he wanted to stay with my mom that week, and I missed him greatly. I tried to talk him into going with us on several occasions, but he would tell me, "no, I go to Nanny's house." So, all oft the talking I could do wouldn't compare to him being the "only" child for a week!

 Ellie Kate had her friend Cara at camp to play with. I enjoyed visiting with Cara's mommy, Judi Little last week. That is what our camp is for those that have been saved. It is a week of refreshing fellowship between believers and God. It is a time to learn more about God's word, and how to share it with others. The friendships that are born there are amazing! I have never been a part of a camp that has such a close relationship. Everyone loves everyone. There are of course a few exceptions, but hey 1 out of 370 is not bad, right? LOL.    Don't know how to rotate my photo and so, this is Cara and Ellie talking on the phone in the nursery in the back of the tabernacle during service one night! They are about a month apart, and are precious together!

The other picture, is Ally Hardee (one of the 7th graders that went), NOah and Ellie Kate were eating popcorn after church one night. We had a blast doing this! It gave me time to talk with some of the adults and the kids enjoyed eating the popcorn and sprite. Cody was doing his ministry pretty much all week, and in fact after we got home Friday we did nothing but talk from Friday evening until Saturday evening because we were catching up on eachother's week! He is just a busy man at camp, and he thouroughly enjoys himself!

 This is Abi Windham, one of the teens that went with us to camp. She is a very talented young lady. She is also going to teen camp in July. Abi and Noah had fun together, as you can probably tell! :) 

One of my favorite things about Budd Creek Camp is the food! They have wonderful food, homecooked food at that!! The other reason I like meal times is because they do it "family style" where you have what is called "table monitors" who go before everyone else does and they set the tables (in our case we had 5 tables) so we had to have 5 table monitors. This year I made out the list before camp...because if you wait until camp people think you're picking on them if they have to do it more than once. Every meal the table monitors had an adult to go with them and "assist" them to make sure none of them leave before everything is done at the end of the meal, and to teach those who are "new" to it. Some people like to do it for themselves, but in doing this you really "rob" others in this case the kids of the blessing of learning to serve others. So, I had to tell Bro Mullins (our pastor) not to do stuff on more than one occasion because he could "do it faster" than the table monitors! LOL, especially if you know him!!  Noah really got in on being a table monitor. He would take the "baskets" when they were empty and get them refilled with food and put them back on the table, and at the end of the meal, he would help sweep, and try to help put up the chairs as well. He is such a big boy now.
        The best thing about camp is the end of the week when the one's who have been saved ring the bell. The whole Idea is to picture what heaven is like when just 1 lost soul is saved, the amount of rejoicing is incomparable.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

The topic of this week was set by Bro Doyle Glass whom I have known since I was a kid, and he is at one of our churches in Birdtown just a little north of Morrilton (it really is a small, small world!) and in his sermon he preached to the saved about a marquee sign he had seen outside of a Baptist church somewhere in Quitman, Ar a while back. He asked us the question, "Will there be anyone in Heaven because of You?"  That questions played on everyone's conscience that week because if they had been saved, it was so convicting about how we are living our lives for Christ, and if they were not saved, they knew that they needed the assurance of Heaven after they leave this world! God greatly blessed us this past week with wonderful preaching, just a few were Bro Glass, Bro Cody (yes Cody preached one morning), Bro Mullins, Bro. Eli Maynard, Bro. Zach Garrigus, Bro. Kenny Haney, Bro Mike Haney, and so many more. They were all great preacher's for the Lord. I have to say this, Bro. Kenny Haney is a young man. I cannot remember if Kenny is 16, 17, or what, but he gave a devotional one morning before Breakfast and it was awesome. He challenged the kids/teens and he didn't hold anything back. It was so great because it came from someone that is "their" age. He is on fire for the Lord and I hope he will remain that way! My children are now running wild, so I must go. O, and by the way, Cody & I celebrated our Anniversary the Last day of camp, Friday June 17th! We enjoyed getting sang to by the Budd Creek staff, and little cake too! It was sweet. We had  a great time talking which is something we don't get a of time to do. 

Have a Great week!

Jamie

Takes More Time, but less money

So for the last few months I have been on a mission to try and not spend much money. When we decided it would be best for our family that I quit my job 2 years ago in May we knew that we would have to cut way down on the spending. Since then I have struggled with spending more than I ever have before! It seems like Satan has used it as a breeding ground for temptation. Something that I have really been learning is that the things in life that are lasting and the things that are often best for us take more time to do (like couponing), and you have to do them more than once (shop at 2 or 3 different stores to get the best deal). This is extremely difficut for me to do, because I have grown up in a "fast food" culture. Everything is quick, fast, and "easy". That word "easy" is often misused because it might be easier on the front end of things, but much harder at the end! I think I might have even blogged about this before, but I cannot remember. Obviously I didn't learn much from it because I'm taking the "test" again, and again!

O Glorious Day!

We just celebrated the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ this past Sunday. It was a wonderful day that we celebrated by having a Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. then having breakfast, and then our Easter "Cantata" conducted by none other Daddy. We were able to stay in the church service for about 2 1/2 songs one of which, "Feels Like Redemption" was wonderful!!! The choir has been working very hard on it, and it was great. We did manage to get one family picture. This is my beautiful family. We had a great day. Later that day we went to Casscoe since we didn't have church at Bethel that night we got to go to New Salem. I love be able to go back home. I grew up in that church, and it will always hold a very special place in my heart. I was in the womb in that church! I enjoy so much getting to spend time with family and friends of the family. Somedays I would love to live right in the middle of them again. However, I don't know if the Lord will ever allow us to move back to Casscoe.

My kiddos enjoyed so much dyeing easter eggs this year. We don't "do" the Easter Bunny or anything, but we do like to dye eggs and hunt for them. It's a "hide 'n' seek" game for them with a twist. Elijah was so cute hunting them at Nanny's house. There's a few pictures, but I couldn't possibly post them all! Elijah was like a little scientist dyeing his eggs, it was so cute. He took his job VERY seriously! Ellie Kate was just so precious. Her dress was so beautiful on her, and she knew it too! She liked hunting the easter eggs, but wasn't really into dyeing them this year, now next year might be a very different story! Noah didn't care too much for hunting them either just because he wanted to play with Trey. They could play together all day long!

Cody had his cantata, I've had the kids' Easter Musical so we're done until camp! Yeah!!!

It's Bedtime, so I have to run! May the Lord bless you as we are in the middle of this tornado season!!! Praying especially for all those in Vilonia and those who have family hurt and killed there.

Jamie

Monster Jam & Monster Fever?

Cody and Noah at Monster Jam with Big Foot the Monster Truck! Noah was WAY excited, if you can't tell!

This past week has been very busy at the Simpsons' house. The kids have been battling a fever, cough, and runny nose on the side. Cody's dad had bought tickets to the Monster Jam at the Convocation center in Jonesboro about 2 or 3 weeks ago, and even though the boys had been to the doctor on Monday by Friday they were still not completely better! Elijah was especially sick. He has asthma and colds always hit him worse than the other two. He ran a fever for 3 or 4 days. We knew Friday night that Elijah wouldn't be able to go to Monster Jam, but Noah shouldn't have to miss out, so we went to Jonesboro which is a good 3 hour drive from our house in Morrilton and we were armed with kleenex, and lots of medicine ( I looked as though I had a small pharmacy in my bag!). Noah, Cody and I headed to the Convo and left Elijah in Mimi's arms and Ellie Kate (reluctantly) with Papaw. Noah had so much fun. He got a glow in the dark necklace, checkered flag, and some of the driver's autographs. After Monster Jam was over we had to head to Casscoe so that Cody could make it to the VBS Seminar at Olive Branch in Pine Bluff. Needless to say since it was 9:00-11:00 it was a quiet ride there. Elijah slept with Nanny and Noah slept with Pop. Elijah's fever was very high friday night and into Saturday morning.

By Saturday morning Elijah was feeling just a teeny bit better, but still had fever. Between Antibiotics, cough medicine, and tylenol the poor kid was getting fed up with medicine, and I was too! Sunday I stayed home with Elijah and Ellie Kate and Cody came in with Great news from Men's Meeting. I'll post more about that Later this week if It goes well!

Jamie

"The Author Shows Up"

Last Friday night Cody and I got a treat. We were able to go on a date without any kids (even Ellie) to a Gideons' Appreciation Banquet. The food was wonderful, and it was a very uplifting service. We were all reminded of how that just sharing the Word of God with one person can make a big difference.
Bob Jones was the speaker for the evening, and he told a story of how he met a girl named Marlem in Chile on a mission trip. Marlem was a translator for the Gideon's who went on the trip, and most of the translators were not "christians" they just volunteered to translate. So, Marlem was translating for one of the evangelists and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a person on the streets of Chile, and as she was reading through the Roman Road she realized she needed Salvation and she accepted Christ as the Lord of her life. Bob Jones stated that when someone reads the Word of God that the author always shows up. I loved that statement! It's so beautifully true. God always shows up to show us our needs. What a beautiful ministry to be involved with.
There was also a story of how that the Bishop would not allow the Gideons to take Bibles into the private schools of Chile but they could in the Public Schools. So as they were taking them around and even to the University they saw a bus of high school seniors getting out and then were told that every highschool senior would be at the University for college orientation! God made a way for EVERY senior not just the public school seniors to have a Bible in their hand! God is so good.
This Sunday night, my husband was preaching and he did an invitation at the beginning of the service. A little girl who rides the bus came forward and she accepted Jesus as Lord of her life and repented of her sins. She was so happy to be a child of God.
When God allows his word to be handed out and preached the "Author does indeed, Show up"!
Praise the Lord.
How can they know without a preacher? Will you be that lifeline for someone to get to God?