Twenty Ten!

Well it is New Year's Eve...And like many of you I too am reflecting on all the glorious memories and adventures that came with 2009, along with some of the not-so-great ones. New Year's Eve is always the time of year when people look back on all that they did in the past 365 days. And many think "wow, where did the year go?" Throughout the year we all experience days that pass almost without notice, and other days that we will remember every moment for years to come. Quite personally it breaks my heart that I don't CHERISH every single day and every moment that God allows me to breathe another breath and to serve Him and bring Him glory while I am here on this earth. In twenty ten I am going to work harder to focus solely on God and His heart and will for my life and the world around me. My time on this planet is limited and I only have one life so I want to make it worth-while. I know I sound like a broken record but this year is just as great an opportunity as any to make a difference and change the world, starting with me.
Now I could list all the things I am thankful for from the year 2009, but there are so many I think that I just need to say "Thank You God for another WONDERFUL year! You have blessed me more than I could ever deserve and I am simply in AWE of Your Holiness."
But I would like to list SOME of the things I am looking forward to this year...TWENTY TEN is a big year for me (and for everyone for that matter. I truly believe this is going to be a year people look back on and say "WOW! God is GOOD." No doubt in my mind actually! Anyways here is some things...

• On June 4th I graduate from high school! I still can't believe I am a senior.
• Sometime this year-late spring-I will be boarding a plane to Africa. My heart screams with excitement and unbelief that God is opening doors that seem too big for me to even knock on.
• Growing in my relationship with the Lord, I will never completely understand Him but I do get to learn more EVERY SINGLE day!
• 18...On July 8th I will turn 18 years old. Although I will be a 'legal' adult I will forever remain a child at heart.
• Voting...I get to have a small say in the decisions made within our country. How cool.
• Meeting new people and making new friends-with a new year comes new faces.
• Spending time and getting to know old friends even better. What a blessing it is to have people in my life that I know love and care about me as much as I love and care about them.
• I am blessed with the fact that I get to be with my family-attending COCC for college will allow me to live at home at least for another year and strengthen the bonds I have with my AMAZING parents and Crazy Cool siblings.
• Spending more time at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch-this is a place that is dear to my heart and it is filled with SO many people I love. YAY!
• New opportunities to serve God and further His kingdom. To learn and experience new things and for situations that I can share His Truth and be bold in my faith.

There are MANY MANY more things that I am looking forward to but I cant list them all and some I don't even know what they are but I sure am excited about them. Only God knows what is in store for the year 2010. And as for today I will rejoice and praise His Holy name. For He is God and I am not. And that is more than enough of a reason to celebrate, it is the only reason I should celebrate. EVER.

Happy New Year's everyone. May Twenty Ten (I love how that sounds) be filled with blessings and reasons to rejoice!

Love, Lashae

The Best Birthday Ever!

Hello Everyone! I cant believe it's been so long since I posted...I know I have posted much anyway, even though I want to....I just have SO much I wanna say it's hard to decide what is note-worthy. But this is definitely worth writing about....and once again please forgive me for my lack of "writing skills", my thoughts are jumbled but I hope you get the point none-the-less.

Merry Christmas! I know it's a day late but I hope that everyone had a GOOD Christmas. And by good I don't mean I hope you all got exactly what you wanted or even that your family got along or that your dinner turned out right. My prayer is that everyone had a good Christmas because of not what Christmas is....But because of WHO it's about. Think about it... On December 25th every year we get to reflect back on the birth of GOD himself-yes it was His son, but still He was God. Our God, the only God in the universe, came to earth as a baby-seriously that alone blows my mind. Think about how HELPLESS and NEEDY babies are, they HAVE to have someone to take care of them basically every moment from the time they are born. We have to feed them, make sure they stay healthy, change their diapers, love on them, watch over them and on and on, the list doesn't end. And to think that the God who created music, elephants and photosynthesis and everything in between CHOOSE to humble Himself enough to come to our sin-filled planet and not only live us or live FOR us but He relied on "us" to take care of Him. Mary had to nurse Him daily and protect him- just like any other mother would the only difference is that her son had come to save her. In my opinion it's crazy enough that Jesus came and lived here and suffered through temptation and dependence on air, food, water and sleep but that He came and DIED He suffered through a humiliating death on a cross, He was spit on and He was beaten, and He knew all of that was going to happen and He did it anyway.

Sometimes I wonder if there could have been an easier way, which is obviously is not up to me HOW He did it and I am ETERNALLY grateful that He did but I think the thing that is absolutely outstanding to me is that He didn't have to. Ever since creation we have rejected God and sinned against Him and yet He has ALWAYS loved us. And He always will. He is such a big God and a perfect God that He laid down the life that He didn't have to live in order to save us. Of which, even after ALL that, the only He asks of us is to BELIEVE in Him. That's it. He paid the ultimate price and it feels like we still get a "get out of jail free" card, because He doesn't force us to believe or force us to anything He gave up everything so that someday we might be able simply spend eternity with Him. That is CRAZY amazing! And this Christmas I constantly pondered that simple truth. And it has given me such a heart of thankfulness. I am not kidding when I say I would have been blessed if I got absolutely NOTHING this Christmas because I have the best GIFT that's ever been given and that my friends is a savior who loves me because of who He is not because of who I am.

This past month every single one of my prayers has started with "thank you God" over and over and over again. And has ended the same. I honestly cannot express how thankful I am-not only for God but for the abundant blessings He has bestowed upon me. And I am completely undeserving of all of them but He still blesses me. We serve a HOLY God who can never be defined who can never be explained and can never be changed-how cool is that!!

SO...with that said I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas because of who God is.

**Lord, I am thankful that I can come before you in prayer and that you have allowed a way for me to talk to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are the creator of the whole universe and yet you care about me and the details of my life and you love me. Not because of me but because of You! Thank YOU! I love you and in your name. AMEN!**

Kitchen of many wonders

In most peoples homes their kitchen is filled with food aromas and a place to go when you are hungry right? But its not the same in the home of the Brewer's. Every once in a while we will go there to eat but not always. We like to dance in the great kitchen of wonders. To any song we can get our hands on any where from Christian music to Hannah Montanan, or Christmas music to rock and roll. Just any song that has a great beat to it is perfect to dance to in so many ways. Even when you are cleaning the kitchen its so much fun to dance and sing along to the music.
Another great thing this kitchen has is a place to model for dress up. For instance Lashae and I found a little vial from a past Halloween costume and some fake flowers and pretended to be a bride. It was so much fun we even took photos, and got some rings out as well what is a bride without a ring?
One of the best things this kitchen brings is laughter. When your sad you still can't resist laughing at the funny sights that go on in this crazy place. Mom and Dad dancing, Reece constantly dragging new water bottles out when even a little thirsty, crazy music, great jokes and just all around funny things go on in this kitchen of many wonders. Love always the crazy
Charsie.

Running Into Relationship

I am finding more often than not that God speaks to me through analogies(for lack of a better word). Today when I got home from my run an idea(whether God-sent or not I'm not sure) popped into my head. I have been trying to figure out how to get it from my brain and into words all afternoon. And I finally decided to just give it a shot. Now before I say anything else I must say this should not be taken as Truth-I'm sure none of you would but I am just letting you know that I am aware that these are my own thoughts, by no means is it biblical. Its just a thought I wanted to share with you.

When I finished my run this morning I was very sore; each step was a struggle. I know was so sore because I also ran yesterday, and until then the last time I ran was almost a month ago. Anyways...as I fought to simply walk around the house I began to think..."maybe this soreness and running in general can parallel our relationship with Christ." Allow me to explain.

Everyone knows that when we run for the first time in awhile or for the first time ever, it is likely we will be sore afterwards. Sometimes the pain even occurs during the run. On those first few runs pain surges through our body. As our legs power forward stride after stride our muscles begin to tighten and ache. Every pounding step hurts our feet. But the more we exercise the easier it gets. In fact, we have to start making our workouts more difficult. In order to get that same burning feeling we had on the first run we have to go further, run faster, push harder. We have to start adding elements that will continue to challenge us: hills, longer distance, sprints. Whatever it is, it has to be "new" to build more muscle and make us better than we were on the previous run. We have to do this because as we build endurance and strength we stop becoming sore, which means our bodies have stopped breaking down our muscles in order to build them back up even stronger.

Is it fair to say the more we run the better we get at it? Is it true that the more we do it the more we know about it? We become educated on the subject. Every time we complete a run we know a little bit more about how to get the best out of each workout and how our body operates under a number of circumstances. We figure out what shoes best fit our feet, what type of clothes are needed depending on the weather. Is it safe to say we are on a constant uphill climb when it comes to running?

Here is when running and God intersect in my mind...

Isn't our relationship with Him the same as running? At first it can be hard-even painful-to come before the Creator of all things and open up our hearts to Him. It's even more difficult to surrender our hearts and give Him our lives. I think we struggle with this because we don't want Him to see all of our mistakes, faults, sin and quite honestly- all the ugliness inside of us. We try so hard to hide all of these things from the world but once we decide to ask Jesus into our hearts we have to lay it all out in front of Him, so that He can get rid of it. But it's hard to make that first step. Just like running can be hard to get motivated.

I believe He breaks us down so that He can build us back up in His love and truth, and it makes us sore. But- back to running- the more time we spend with Him and get to know God for real the deeper into His Word we must dig in order to continue to grow and get stronger. We have to go deeper, pray more and be challenged. So we press further into Him to fuel our burning passion that is our life in Christ.

Personally, the more I run the more it becomes "addictive" I actually start to need it in order to properly function and it is even more like that in my relationship with My Savior. The more I read His Word and pray and worship and just talk about Him the more I want and need to do it. Its what keeps me moving.

When I grow weak or tired during while running I usually have several options: drink water to keep me hydrated, suck down some GU for electrolytes, take in a deep breath and slow down or just quit. My run with God also gives me many options when I get weak and exhausted: drink in the Living water which is Christ himself-for I will never thirst again, read scripture for encouragement and pray and have others pray for me (electrolytes-help keep me going), take a deep breath and ask Him to help me-for in Him I will find rest, and lastly-give in the world's will for my life and just give up. I don't know about you-but the last one, although tempting at times, not worth it in the least. No one wants to start a race and not finish it.

In the running world there is always another race, another hill, a further distance. We will never be able to run every race or run every mile. Running is something we have to keep working on and constantly push ourselves. Much like it is impossible for us to run every inch of the earth it is impossible for us to know God perfectly, but the more we run the closer we get to covering all those inches and the more we take our relationship with God seriously and actively pursue Him the more we get to know Him and all He has planned for us. So ultimately we must keep running.

Isaiah

This is a story I wrote while Shauna and Justin were getting baby Isaiah.
Somewhere hidden East of America, in the continent of Africa, in the country of Uganda, in the orphanage of Sanyu lives a little boy named Isaiah.
Frightened, happy, and anxiously waiting in America is a 32 year old man ready to board the plane to go to Uganda to maybe meet a boy he can call son. The second the man walks into the orphanage God works his wonders. The woman at the front desk asked if he was there to adopt. He replied "Yes I am, is there any little boys here by the name Isaiah?" The woman replied "That's so weird when you walked in the door I said to myself I bet he's here for Isaiah and yes there's only one he's over there." The man and Isaiah bonded for a few weeks and he knew that was the boy he was going to adopt. But he had to return his wife and kids waiting to see him. The mans name is Justin.
Months drug on and on it felt like a decade for the woman ready to go to Uganda to pick up her new baby. When she and Justin finally arrived it was so sad at the sight that lay in front of her she cried for days. Spending a few weeks with her soon to be son and after one court date the judge said it was approved. She finally got to call Isaiah her own. Her name is Shauna.
Only a few things need to be done and the small family get to come home to the four kids anxiously waiting to see their parents and meet their new brother. Almost daily the kids wait by the phone wanting to know all the news. When they heard Isaiah is legally their brother they were jumping with joy. The family has turned from six people to seven! The four kids are Ashton, Hunter, Dawson, Lily and the newest addition Isaiah.
Its amazing what the Lord can do for you if you only believe in Him.
Love,
Charsie
Lee
Brewer.

Leap of Faith

Ok so this post is a bit rough but I had to get it out there. This whole blog thing is new to me. Sorry if it is hard to follow...

Dreams...they can be profound, confusing, interesting, funny and real. There are many different types of dreams. Some come in the form of what most folks like to call, "daydreaming" or fantasies about a life outside of the present. Whether they be about getting called out of class or the moment you meet your Prince Charming. They are our day-to-day wishes. Then there are the dreams that occur in the middle of the night. The ones that we have no control over. Many of these "late night adventures" are random, strange and intriguing-yet by the time we wake up we don't even remember what happened, they just, disappear. Also I believe some people have dreams that are God sent-ones that are undeniably clear and speak directly to our hearts. They are almost real and often help give us insight into our own hearts and lives. There is one more type of dream that everyone has. These are the dreams that are most dear to us, so dear in-fact that we sometimes hide them from the world and lock them away within our hearts and minds as to keep them safe. These are the true desires we all possess and that we all fear losing. No one wants to have their dreams crushed or their hopes lost. By sharing our inner-most "secrets", joys, excitments and desires with the world we easily become vulnerable. Someone might tell us, "no" and reject what we hold dear. But worst of all they might laugh at us. They might think our dreams are stupid and ridiculous and absolutely immpossible. What a blow to the face! We all have hope in something. We all look forward to something. We all desire something. And I believe its time we stop hiding these precious dreams from the world, it is time we stop trying to "protect" them. We ought to take a leap of faith and follow our hearts. Fuel our passion. Pursue our desires. And do it in the name of the Lord. Trust that God has given us these burning hopes for a reason and act on what we love. If we fall flat on our faces, we fall hard, but at least we can say we tried. But it doesn't end there. I say we get back up, dust off our jeans, and jump again. Eventually we will learn to fly. Don't let anyone tell you no. Follow your heart and most importantly pursue Christ's heart! He is our Father and wants the absolute best for us. What dad doesn't want to see their kids happy and living out their dreams? And God is the PERFECT dad! He has got us in the palm of His hand now and forever. To Him be the glory and praise. ALWAYS!
Love,
Lashy B

Rivers

I am home schooled and everyday my mom asks me to do a journal entry and here is one from the beginning of the school year:
Some narrow, some wide. Skinny and fat. Very straight, others won't unwind. Most fast, others slow. Some with salmon, others with snakes. Lots very long, they come small to. Others lead to the ocean, while others go to a small lake or pond. Can be loud and not heard too. Some with crystal clear drinking water, others with brown dirty water for kids to drink from. Lots have big motor boats and ones with row boats. Some with geese and ducks, while some have swans and herons. Some great man called them- a river.
This aritical was written by,
Charsie.

Evening Snack...Or mothers worst nightmare?

As Lashae, Mom, and I were sitting in the kitchen visiting, Mom was making dinner we had the garbage out of the pantry because mom was peeling potatoes. She had finished and was just going to leave it there for a few moments while she finished. Down the stairs Reece came and had spotted the garbage as usual he barked a few orders at the three girls and at once he was happy. So he went and was looking at what presents he could find in the great white open thing in the middle of the room. That same day we had salads with cucumbers for a side for the dinner ahead. So he was going through and found a peel of one, he sat observing it. Then, he had looked at it long enough I guess because he took a great big bite followed by a sour face and then a "Mmmmmmmmm. Num num."
Love,
Charsie.

Welcome Bloggy World

Hello Friends! Charsie and I have wanted to start a blog for awhile now and finally decided to just do it. We are excited to be able to share with you the daily happenings around the Brewer Household. This is going to be a fun way we can journal together about our lives as sisters both biologically and in Christ. Together we have grown up physically, emotionally and spiritually. Both of us have a burning passion to serve God in all that we do and hope that through our lives others can see our drive for Him. As time goes by we will be able to look back and see the changes we have experienced with each other. It's gonna be great! We hope you like our blog and if not thats okay...cuz we will continue to write anyway ;) Feel free to comment on anything and everything! All our love!!