DAY 2!!!!!!

boy was i tuckered and 'out of it' by the end of last night!!! another amazing night of kids camp!

there was this moment last night as we were worshipping and singing the song 'i'm a kid!' that i got this OVERWHELMING RUSH of 'GOD BUMPS'!!!! a serious OUTPOURING of the Holy Spirit. so i stopped....and let me just tell you this room is A ROCKIN!!!! and MOVIN!!! and SHAKIN!!! but i stopped all those awesome motions to the song and prayed for all those kiddos as they were singing LOVE for Him!!! such an amazing RUSH!!! there are not enough ORDINARY words to describe the EXTRAORDINARY GOD we sing to and pray to!!!!!! i'm sooooo IN LOVE!

anyways so tonight is DAY 3!!! WATER DAY!!!!

Lord....SOAK us! DRENCH us! give all of us there tonight a SERIOUS OUTPOURING of Your POWER and LOVE!

KIDS CAMP 2010 'BLAST OFF!'

ok! :) i am totally gonna blog about kids camp tonight!!!!

i keep going over all the totally amazing things that went on tonight!

*DRAMA.....UHHHHH-MAZING!!! drama writers and drama actors you guys ROCK!!!! or should i say ROCK-ET!!!!
*brandy and f-gen girls! you girls are ALIVE, ENERGETIC AND SMILING!
*LOVED GAMES! amanda & willie, bruce alexander, tom russell, devin durain and all the other game crew....WOW!
*SOUND CREW....slides and sound ROCK!
*set up crew, tear down crew, and in between crew....things roll smooth thanks to you!
*SHOUT OUT to stacie stacy and her craft crew
*preschool kids camp was GREAT! according to carley :)
*SNACK!!!! o let me not forget snack! thank you JESUS for KIDS CAMP SNACK!!!! little secret....i had 2 dumbbells tonight! :)
*our tractor ride from lawrence orchards to celebration was the beginning of our amazing RIDE tonight!!! thanks paul!
*karla, alisha, and tammie......one word.....EVERYTHING....i think that covers it all in you gals department :)
*amy and registration crew...MAJOR THUMBS UP!
*can you say MESSY!?!?! GAMES?!?!?! A WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!! :) :) :)
*and a HOLLLA!!! to all small group leaders and assistants
*HELLO! there is a LIFE SIZE ROCKET in the front of celebration church!
*KUDOS! to props folks, security folks, goodie bag stuffers and ALL else

have you ever seen the movie 'The Incredibles'? it's a disney pixar movie about a family of super heroes. anyways near the end of the movie, dash, the son, starts rattling off all the AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE things about his day. at the end of his excited rattling he falls backwards in complete happy exhaustion and says 'I LOVE THIS FAMILY!'

i feel like dash tonight. :) i love this celebration family! i think my absolute favorite part of tonight was getting to connect with everyone on a FUN level!

ROCKIN AWESOME LORD!!! I LOVE YOU!!! i PRAISE You for yesterday, i PRAISE You for today, and i PRAISE You for tomorrow! i continue to lift up kids camp....my heart tonight is for the kiddos and us small group leaders and assistants. i pray the kids energy will be funnelled toward an amazing love and energy for You! please give them the desire to obey. i thank you for all the volunteers who are loving on these kiddos in small groups. renew our energy tonight. please allow us to love like you. may our words be firm yet kind, bold yet gentle. allow the kiddos to be receiving of Your love. may Your love be contagious and infectious through us :)

John 1:38

They said....'Teacher, where are you staying?' John 1:38

This is my heart. I want to be where You are, Lord.

One of the pastors I used to listen to would say...'God is in everything. If you're paying attention, you can even find Him in a McDonald's commercial.' Love that!

Let's do that today. Let's be fully present no matter where we are or who we are talking to, to say....

'Lord, where are You in this conversation, place, situation? I want to represent You properly. Teach me. Show me.'

Quality trumps Quantity

Sunday I was overwhelmed with thankfulness on so many levels. The message at church was important vs. urgent. It was filled with beautiful reminders of what God has taught me and continues to teach me.


The one I was reminded of and the most thankful for was something God taught me in Wellston, Ohio where Heath had his first head football coaching job. Two baby girls at home, far from family and Heath was putting his heart and soul into his football ministry. Many nights he would only be home for a short time. I don't remember where, when or how the conversation took place but I do remember me saying the following:


QUALITY time spent with us is more important to me than HOW MUCH time you spend with us.


I don't need hours and hours of his time....would I like that? sometimes :). But, Oh the difference this has made in our life and in our marriage! I am so thankful to God that Heath was receiving of this. I do remember the night when he got home late and instead of us turning on the tv....we sat at the island while he ate his dinner and talked about our days.


There are some days Heath is only home for a half hour but he comes through that door and is ready to kiss on his kiddos and play some form of chase or go for a bike ride or play a board game or listen to their days. I know he is exhausted, but he makes that a priority.


Every February/March when football goes into full swing at the Hinton household....quality vs. quantity has to be reiterated to both of us, in probably not such a thankful, nice way ;) so it was nice on Sunday to be reminded of it in a thankful way. To listen to that message I'm sure it will be posted soon on http://www.celebration247.com/ and I'm sure there will be more thoughts on http://www.mattbrentblogspot.com/


Quality vs. Quantity can be applied to all areas of my life....God, me, Heath, our kids, fam & friends, dangling my tootsies off the edge of nowhere, exercise and eating right.....there is ALWAYS 5 minutes for anything.

more i loves.....

*i love Your sense of humor in the midst of discipline.

*i love Your words.
psalm 40:11....Your love and Your truth always protect me.

*i love that You are quick to forgive.

*i love Your love for life.
psalm 43:4...You are my joy and my delight.

*i love that You are emotional.
psalm 2:4,5...You laugh....and You get angry.

*i love that You love to love me!
deuteronomy 7:7,8....You did not set Your affection on me and choose me for anything i did. But it was because You loved me! :)

things i love about you, God....

*i love that You want to know me.
psalm 139:1...You search me and know me.

*i love that You want what is best for me. (and that picture will probably look totally different than what i think)
psalm 51:6....You desire truth in my inner parts, You teach me wisdom in my inmost place

*i love that You are in control and know EXACTLY where to go.
psalm 43:3...send Your light and Your truth, let them guide me.

*i love Your VARIETY!

*i love Your CREATIVITY!

*i love Your SPONTANEITY!

*i love Your communication (You read my mind :)
psalm 139:4....BEFORE a word is on my tongue You know it completely.

*i love Your power and strength!

*i love when You draw me close.
psalm 139:5....You draw me in...

*i love Your gentle touch.
psalm 139:5....You have laid Your hand on me.

don't settle.

Sanctus Real sings a song called 'Whatever You're Doing'. The past few weeks, God has been tugging at my heart when this song comes up. The lyrics that resonate the most are:

You're up to something thats bigger than me.

He whispered again yesterday.....'don't settle.'

What this means to me is this....'don't settle for YOUR plans, andrea'

By NOT spending time in prayer and in His Word DAILY....I'm saying 'I would rather do what I have planned today' I'm settling for less.

BUT, on the other GLORIOUS hand, when I am in prayer and in His Word EACH DAY....I'm saying 'I'm ready for whatever YOU want to do today, Lord! I don't want to settle for what I think might be a good plan...I can't even fathom all the GOOD You got going on!'

Do you have time with Him each day? I have been reading a Psalm a day. They are short and sweet....O so sweet.

Lord, I surrender to whatever You want to do today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day and....... :)