of
Serenity
Our Family's Miracle Journey
May 1st, 2009
I know...I know! This month's background music is a little different than the stuff I normally choose! I rarely listen to anything other than contemporary Christian. However, this particular country song is special. This happens to be Tommy and my song. It fits us to a certain T. The first time Tommy heard it, he rushed home and insisted I listen to it. "Dana, you have to hear this song. I swear he's singing about OUR life! This is exactly the way I feel about you."
I have to admit after I finished listening to the song, I had tears in my eyes. Because it is SO true. We come from completely different worlds and so many people didn't expect us to make it. We have been through the fire more than a few times, yet just as fire is used to perfect silver, we have come through the heat closer and better because of it!
So why am I playing this song now? Why have I chosen it for this particular month? Well because....
On this day eleven years ago....
I joined his life while holding his hand!
On this day eleven years ago...
I made a commitment by his side to forever stand!
On this day eleven years ago...
His Kiss took my breath away!
And Eleven years later...
I'm still breathless....on this day!
May 1st, 1998
11 years and counting!
Yes Tommy Boy...
It sure does feel GOOD to prove em all wrong!
Just Livin' our Love Song!
Happy Anniversary! I love you!
May 2nd, 2009
Tom and I spent our anniversary kid free with dinner and a movie. We had a lot of fun on our night out. First he surprised me with 11 beautiful roses. (one for every year of our marriage) There were ten normal red roses and one unusual rainbow rose. Every petal was a different color...
It was really nice to spend some alone time with my hubby. We really needed some quiet time! But to be completely honest by the end of the night I was SO ready to hug ALL my babies!
We Praise God for our simple yet...completely fulfilling life!
May 5th, 2009
Good Evening and Welcome to fashion parade with Serenity! Tonight we will be introducing a brand new line of fashions.. as well as some oldies but goodies. Every ensemble you encounter is a one of a kind creation by Serenity. Please no bidding at the end of our presentation. Each outfit is a work of art and clearly not for sale. :)
First we'll introduce one of Serenity's classic attires.
Note the perfect symmetry...one arm out, two legs in, and one boot on.
Ah sheer genius that could only be topped by a lovely stretch pant hoodie...
Next we have a fabulous blend of cotton and polyester fabrics.
One slightly older brother's dinosaur sweatshirt, accompanied by cozy pajama bottoms and completed with this season's newest trend snow boots!
Orange, Red, and Pink?
Only a mastermind could think to put THESE colors together! Yes folks we have a winner here!
For those of you who LOVE to have a good time.
Try dancing the night away in Serenity's own version of a "Potty" hat!
Don't like dancing? Well how about a nice cozy night at home? We asked Serenity what kind of night wear is in style this season and the verdict is in folks! This year's greatest fashion sensation that is sweeping the nation is... Big. Yep, according to fashion expert Serenity... the bigger the better.
Be the talk of the town in some oversize Pajama bottoms...
They're so big who needs a shirt?
Or how about some fabulous tennis shoes...
Yes Serenity has a style for EVERYONE!
Do you like Western wear? Well check out this cowgirl!
Western not your thing? More into hip hop?
Why not try on one of Serenity's bling bling stocking caps
They're guaranteed to be all the rage next season!
But wait! Who could forget her most popular ensemble?
The Famous..Birthday Suit,
Now complete with just one added feature...
(Sorry...No picture provided for obvious reasons!)
There you have it folks...
Well... That's it for tonight, but We'll see you back here next season on....
May 9th, 2009
We spent yesterday evening with Strong Tower Youth.
We took them to see..."The 99, The Ultimate Near Death Experience!"
What is the 99? The number 99 represents the lives of people between the ages of 10 and 25. 99 young people die every day. Many of these deaths are influenced by drugs or alcohol and a vast majority of them could be avoided. 31 die in auto related accidents. 16 die from homicide or domestic violence. 12 commit suicide. The other 40 die from drug overdose, accidents or natural causes. The 99 is a walk through theater that dramatically reenacts these leading causes of death in teens and young adults. Once their eyes are opened to the reality of deadly consequences for bad decisions, then it introduces the salvation and protection our Lord Jesus Christ provides.
All the way home, the group could NOT stop talking about their experience. I was really impressed by the topic of their discussion. In a van full of 12 year old boys I would not have been surprised if they were talking about all the blood and gore. However, there was actually very few mentions of the gory stuff. On the most part, it was the last of the production that stood out to them, Jesus on the cross and the ending video which depicted a father's sacrifice of his only son to save a multitude of unworthy people.
At the end of the drama, every person had their own individual one on one conference with a prayer partner. This REALLY impressed me because these people didn't just hurry through the process. They actually took their time and counseled each individual. Every person was prayed over... whether already saved or not saved! As you can see...
These volunteers had their work cut out for them. After we arrived the line only continued to grow!
Strong Tower Youth enjoyed the experience and fellowship! Once again they achieved their goal....To have fun while growing in Christ!
May 11th, 2009
Guess who helped Mommy make brownies?
Okay, so it's more like who helped Mommy get rid of the brownies?
Ever seen a chocolate covered Reni?
And now you have!
She didn't mean to be so messy. That's just the way it played out.
I made the mistake of laughing at her. Evidently Eli felt left out.
He wanted Mommy to think he was funny too. So....
Now we have a chocolate covered Eli as well!
As you can see...his mess wasn't quite so accidental! :)
May 12th, 2009
Mother's day came and went. As a
mother of five small children, I often get asked the question..."How do
you do it?" I would LOVE to say that my life is an exact replica of
"The Donna Reed Show." I would LOVE to say that I'm always organized,
always patient, always perfectly on top of things. However if I did, I
would be lying through my teeth. I'm not always organized. I'm not
always patient. To be perfectly honest, MOST of the time I'm stressed
beyond recognition.
I raise my voice more times than I want to admit. There are moments
when I'm irritable, grouchy and unreasonable. There are moments when
I'm overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion. I often find myself praying for
the strength just to make it through the day.
I wake up with babies. I go to sleep with babies. I even go to the
bathroom with babies. Yes... when nature calls, I have two choices.
One...I go with one baby standing next to me while the other sits on my
lap, or Two...I close the door and watch tiny little fingers poking up
from underneath while I listen to them scream "I want my mommy!" I
rarely get a break. I rarely get even a moment of privacy.
Although, I spend 90% of my time awake cleaning, my house is NEVER
clean. I mop... something spills. I do laundry...someone changes. I
wash dishes...someone eats. I feel like I'm constantly spitting against
the wind!
Our home is anything but a quiet place to rest your head! Noah
LOVES to pester his sisters and they in return LOVE to tattle. The
girls can not stop bickering for five measly minutes. I swear I'm
raising the biggest drama queens ever to grace the theater. They touch
each other and suddenly the world is coming to an end.
I'm constantly dealing with whining, fighting, crying, spills and
thrills. My options for the day are, feeding, bathing, scrubbing,
washing, drying, folding, or cooking. It's an never ending battle in
which most of the time I swear I'm losing.
Yet somehow I make it through. Somehow I remain sane. At night when
I check on them sound asleep in their beds, or when I'm holding a baby
within each arm rocking them to sleep, or every time one of them wraps
their arms around me and says, "I love you Mommy!" These are the
moments that ALL is well. These are the moments when my life is simply beautiful, simply wonderful...simply perfect!
Love gets me through!
Love is the driving force that pushes me on!
And 1 John 4:8 says... God is LOVE.
So whenever someone asks me the question, "How DO you DO it?" I always reply with..."Only by the grace of God."
As a child I was blessed with a very loving mother. So naively I
thought that ALL mothers were nurturing. As I grew older I began to
realize how very wrong that notion really is. Not ALL mothers are
driven by a love for their family. Not ALL mothers are even capable of
loving their children. For not all mothers even know what love really
is. Just as I believe that it's impossible for a marriage to happily
survive without God as the center. I also believe a mother can not
truly be the nurturer she was created to be without God as her source.
For without God true love does not exist.
I was blessed with a very spiritual and loving mother. Many years ago, I wrote her the following poem:
A Mother in Prayer
By: Dana Burk
A Mother in Prayer knelt gracefully on the ground
Hands held high with angels all around
One wish upon her lips, one need to be met
"Let my children follow the path thy Lord hath set."
Since birth her love has been our protection
Bringing every need before God for His divine intervention
Though times grow hard, she never gives in
She walks only by faith, KNOWING the Lord will win
Love, strength, a mother has it all
A shoulder to cry on, a friend to call
Qualities of a loving mother, they're easy to see
Still there's one thing more a loving mother must be
Whenever you need her, a loving mother will always be there
But a mother is just a woman UNLESS she's
A MOTHER IN PRAYER!
I
believe those words with all of my heart! I know I'm far from being
perfect! I desperately need God's wisdom, direction and strength on a
daily basis.
However, after reading all my beautiful mother's day cards....
(Especially one in particular)
Dear Mom happy mother's day. When I look at you I see a mother who loves me and cares for me. And you are the best cook I ever seen. You are beder (better) than a chef. I love you mom. I am really spieshle (special) because of my mom. I love you mom.You are beautiful. You are the best. Everyone wants to have a mom like you. But haha I found you first. Happy mother's day. Love Kayleigh
I find comfort in knowing... with God's help... I must be doing something right! :)
For I am Loved and Blessed beyond measure!
May 15th, 2009
I was watching the news earlier and saw a segment that just horrified me. Apparently a beautiful 18 year old girl (whom I will NOT disclose her name) was involved in a terrible car accident. She was killed at the scene. Her body was so disturbingly mutilated that the coroner refused to allow her parents to identify the body. Now just wait, the story only becomes more disturbing.
Allegedly an officer on the scene leaked out the accident scene photos. In a matter of days, millions of people across cyberspace were viewing the last remains of this couple's daughter. Someone even went as far as to email the most explicit picture to the girl's dad.
My heart broke for this family. Why can't people just live their lives and let this girl die in peace! Why can't they just give her family time to mourn their loss! The other three daughters are scared to even access the Internet. They're terrified of what they might see!
According to the news, if you were to google this girl's name, you would get nearly 3 million hits. (Hence the reason why I will NOT disclose her name) 3 million hits guys....3 MILLION. This entire scenario literally makes me sick to my stomach. It makes me ashamed to even call myself human.
Truth is twice as many people will read an article entitled, A Tragic Loss, compared to those who would read an article entitled.. um let's say... A Family Celebration! This poses a question for me. Why are people so fascinated with death? Why is it impossible for us to turn away from the sight of a train wreck? I know that we all have come across an accident or car wreck at some point and just had to stare. "OH NO is everyone alright?" Am I right? Is it the curiosity of the unknown... Or on the most part, do most of us just genuinely want to help? I'm not sure...
When Serenity was facing the very real possibility of death, we had people coming out of the wood work to help us out. We were overwhelmed with the love of complete strangers. So many were so genuinely concerned. There is no possible way I could ever repay the love we were shown during our time of need. People were praying for our daughter, who knew nothing more than her name.
To make it perfectly clear, I AM forever grateful for each and every prayer offered for our daughter.
However at the same time I have to wonder, where are all those people now? Few have ever kept in touch. Once Serenity received her healing, everyone just seemed to disappear. Is my daughter any less special healthy than she was ill? Does she need prayer any less? I believe we ALL need prayer. We ALL need a daily intervention from God. We ALL need a mighty move of HIS hand.
Why do we feel that tragedy must strike before we show God's love? Why must someone feel misery BEFORE we drop to our knees to pray?
I have mentioned before in an earlier post, complete strangers notice a difference in Serenity compared to other children. They are drawn to her, without even knowing anything about her.
Even as her mother, I honestly do not think my daughter is any more special than any other child. I love her, but in a world outside of a mother's love, she is no more special than the toddler down the street or a starving child on the other side of the world. She is Serenity... plain and simple... just Serenity. Yet people are always picking her out of a crowd. People continue to be drawn to her. Why? Simple... Prayer! She was covered by earnest prayer for a long period of time . God's presence surrounds her and people are drawn to His presence... not my daughter.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
There are so many sick children out there who need our prayers and attention. There are so many lost and hurting souls who need God's intervention. I am definitely NOT saying pray for them any less! Quite the contrary, Pray MORE, MORE, MORE. Pray until you KNOW you have reached the throne of God and received your answer. Then hold onto that promise with EVERYTHING you have! Hold on and don't let go!
I am not saying pray less for anyone! All I'm saying is, why should we look at the world through our little telescope. Why should we focus on only the most obvious selections. If we were to pray as earnestly for all those we come into contact with, imagine the mighty generation we could raise up for God. Imagine all the attacks of the enemy that would be PREVENTED!
I was just thinking what if... 3 million people cared about this girl BEFORE she left this world....
Let us just say that one million of these people are NOT actual psycho paths obsessed with morbid behavior. Even if those 1 million or 500, 000 or 100,000, or 100 or even 50 people had earnestly prayed for her BEFORE she passed. Would her family still be able to wrap their arms around her?
That's all I'm saying!
May 16th, 2009
The other day Serenity was being a big girl and went to the potty all by herself. From the other room I could hear her sing "Twinkle Twinkle little Star." Well... her own version anyway. :)
Serenity: "Tinkle, Tinkle ittle star how i underwear you are. Up above da word so hi like a.... Flush.... in da sky! Yay I tinkle in da potty!
A few hours later, she is back. Only this time she has an audience.
Eli: Neni you go peed?
Reni: Yep
Eli: Are you all done?
Reni: Yep
Eli: K... I flush for you.
Reni: NO! I go peed! I flush
Eli: You don't know how. I flush for you.
Reni: I DO owe how. I FLUSH BY MYSELF ALL DA TIME!
Eli: K... we flush together at da same time... K?
Reni: nods with approval K
They both place their hands on the handle
Eli: When I count to three flush it...K?
Reni: K
Eli: 4...5...6...7...
Mommy: Eli, what number are you counting to?
Eli: Three
Mommy: Well then you better start over.
Eli: nods his head K....4...5....6...7
Mommy: Uh...This may take ALL night!
Eli: ....8....9....
Mommy: Eli start with ONE.
Eli: OH! 1...4...5...6..7
Mommy: quickly 123
Eli: ...8...123
FLUSH
Together we walk out singing...
"Tinkle, Tinkle ittle star how I underwear you are!"
May 17th, 2009
Disaster waiting to happen...
"Hee Hee Hee!"
I told you she was ornery! :)
May 20th, 2009
Lately my heart has been filled with
praises! Songs of worship fill my mind and I can't seem to think about
anything else. I just want to worship Him. I just want to draw closer
to Him.
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you
You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near
I long for more of my Lord! I want to be closer than I have ever been before. The closer I get... the closer I want to become. My soul hungers for a deeper relationship. My heart yearns for a tighter embrace.
I am so in love with my Savior.
I often feel His presence so strong around me! I can do nothing except bask within His presence. I can not move. I lose my breath yet he breathes for me. I collapse to my knees and just cry out... More...More...More! I want more of His presence, more of His guidance, more of His wisdom. I want more of a relationship.... a closer walk. Each day I seem to only need Him more.
More than yesterday
I need you more
More than words can say
I need you more
Than ever before
I need you Lord
I need you Lord
More than the air I breathe
More than the song I sing
More than the next heart beat
More than anything
And Lord as time goes by
I'll be by your side
Cause I never want to go back
To my old life
I need you more
More than yesterday
I need you more
More than words can say
I need you more
Than ever before
I need you Lord
I need you Lord
Right here in your presence
Is where I belong
Now my broken heart
Has finally found a home
And I'll never be alone
I need you Lord
I feel God drawer me closer to Him. I feel Him pulling me near for His protection. He is my refuge. He is my safe haven. Out of His presence are the issues of life. As long as I keep myself cradled within His midst, saturating my family with His word, doing HIS will, I am safe. One step in the wrong direction, I find myself vulnerable. We are in the last days. We are in the last moments. I must not allow myself to become vulnerable, for if possible even the most elect will be deceived... even the most elect will fall away. (Matthew 24:23-26) I must not leave room for any evil possibility. I must remain close. I must remain within His presence!
Come closer to me my daughter, Come closer to me!
I feel His unconditional love and my soul continues to sing...
Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you
You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near
Draw me close to you Lord!
For you're all I want!
You're all I've ever needed!
I need you more
More than the air I breathe
I need you more
More than the next heart beat
I need YOU Lord
More... More.... More of YOU!
May 22nd, 2009
Playtime with Eli and Serenity
Shopping Spree
Serenity climbs onto her Winnie the Pooh ride on toy with her Easter basket strapped over her shoulder. She begins to sing as she pushes her way through the kitchen.
Reni: "We're goin' to All- Mart. We're goin' to All-Mart."
Once she reaches the dining room, she carefully parks Winnie the Pooh and ducks under the table where Eli is patiently waiting.
Reni: "Ello All - Mart man."
Eli: "Elcome to All-Mart. You wanna sticker?"
Reni: "Yep"
Eli: "K here ya go" pretends to stick something on her shirt
Reni: "Tank you All-Mart man. I need cereal."
Eli: "K here some cereal." hands her imaginary cereal.
"That be 9 hundreds of dollars"
(Wow inflation's a bummer ain't it?)
Serenity reaches down into her "purse like" Easter basket and hands him the imaginary money. Then turns to leave.
Reni: "Bye-bye All- Mart man!"
Eli: "Bye-Bye Come back again and gimme er money."
(A true business man)
Reni: yells over her shoulder "K... I will."
Serenity climbs back onto her ride on Winnie the Pooh and pushes her way back through the kitchen.
Bet ya can't guess where we spend the biggest part of our time away from home? :)
May 23th, 2009
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
As a Christian mother, I often wonder...Am I saying or doing enough to train my children in the ways of the Lord? It's
one of my greatest concerns. God has entrusted five little lives in my
hands. I desperately do not want to disappoint Him. The thought that my
babies might miss out on God's perfect will or plan for their lives
because of MY failure... terrifies me! I want to do ALL I can
to ensure they follow His path. For like most mothers, I only want
the best for my children and I know with all of my heart that God's way
is the only certain path to true happiness.
Of course I am
human. I often make mistakes. I often get caught up in this fast paced
world. I miss plenty of opportunities for bible discussion. I've been
known to rush through prayer time on occasion or even (dare I say it)
...forget it completely.
I am also not one who likes to talk a
lot (believe it or not). I can write down my feelings or type out long
letters, but to actually put my thoughts into spoken words... is nearly
impossible for me. I just don't talk a lot.
So I become
concerned that I may not be doing enough. Are my children learning the
ways of the Lord from me? Are they getting enough "soul" food for their
spiritual growth?
Then remarkably they answer my question.
The
older ones are constantly asking for prayer for their friends, talking
about Jesus, humming Praise and worship songs. They know right from
wrong. They LOVE to read their Bibles.
Even little Eli has
picked up some good habits. Lately he has become quite the little
preacher. Whenever he see a child his not familiar with, he will ask
them about Jesus. Just the other day I overheard him talking...
Eli: "Do you know Jesus?"
Little boy ignores him
Eli: "Hey! Do you know Jesus"
Little boy again tries to ignore him
Eli: "HEY! You know... JESUS?"
Little
boy shakes his head in hope that Eli will stop bothering him. This only
entices Eli more. He gets right up in the boy's face and again boldly
asks..
Eli: "You know CHURCH?... JESUS?... HEL-LO?"
The
little boy causally pushed him away but Eli was presistant until
finally the little boy gave him a yes answer. He never gave up! The
whole time I'm thinking... Wow he could teach ME a lot about witnessing!
I'm
also in awe at how Serenity has learned to praise Jesus for everything.
She praises Him for her favorite meals, toys and even getting her way.
Last
week we were out shopping for new shoes and were having a hard time
finding some to fit her foot. She tried on several pair... they were
either too short or too wide. Finally we found a pair that fit.
Immediately, Serenity shouted.."Oh Thank you Jesus! Praise the LORD!"
Everyone in the store heard her Praise!
Moments
like these I am so proud of my children. Moments like these ease my
conscious and help me to realize that they are in deed being trained in
the way they should go.
I may not express my thoughts or feelings well verbally. But, they are learning! They are absorbing every minor detail.
From
the time they were conceived I have prayed God's will over their lives. I
have asked for His hand to guide their steps and I strive to live a
Godly life before them. Even with all my imperfections, I strive daily
for "Christ like" perfection. They watch...they listen....They are
learning...By the Grace of God... They ARE learning to walk the right path!
And they will continue to learn
through Prayer and by....
EXAMPLE!
May 24th, 2009
Tom spent the entire weekend fishing. A friend allowed him use of a small private lake. He is ecstatic! This afternoon he insisted that I go fishing with him. After several long minutes of persuasion, I finally gave in. So we loaded up the boat, dropped the kids off at my mom's and ended up here...
Several miles out, with only one road in, we're very secluded. At the first chirp of a lone cricket, I was ready to burst out into the chorus of "I think we're alone now!"
Oh... sometimes there's no greater sound then
SILENCE!
Alone at last! We enjoyed the quiet boat ride! As we strolled along the peaceful waters, The view was beautiful....
To
top it all off, the fishing was incredible. I have never seen anything
like it! We would drop the line into the water and immediately would
feel a tug. We were catching bass left and right with little to no
effort at all. Even little ole' prissy me soon become a lure expert.
I was catching them like a pro! I was fearless... A master of the
tackle. Grabbing those slimy fish and yanking those hooks out of their
mouths. I'm tellin' ya, Bill Dance had NOTHING on me!
Yes I was quite the little fisherman!
Ahhh! (stares off into a day dream)
REALITY CHECK!
Okay Okay, So... I might be exaggerating just a tad... Maybe had a little help....
Oh... all right... I had A LOT of help!
But why should a damsel like me have to touch a nasty, slimy ole fish, when I have good looking backwoods boy like this....
Just begging to do all my dirty work?
Notice that cute little wink! Yeah... He LOVES me! :)
May 27th, 2009
Soon it becomes all we can think about. Our prayer time is consumed with that one concern. We forget to offer Him praises. We forget to worship. We forget our relationship entirely.
Then... when these things fail to happen, we are quick to blame God or assume that He just doesn't care. "Oh well, God must not love me enough. If God really cared about me then He would have answered my prayer."
"Be still and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10
So be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made know to God, then...
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14
May 29th, 2009
Yes... I KNOW that I'm cute...
Splashing around in my PINK floaty!
I AM armed and dangerous
And I WILL defend my favorite damsel in distress!
SO....
"DON'T EVEN TANK ABOUT IT!"
