October Baby

Have you seen it? 

It is a movie with an incredibly powerful message! A message about every life being beautiful. A message about forgiveness and grace. A message about the dangers of abortion. A message about the importance of adoption. It is honest. It is beautiful. I can't recommend it enough! 

Our church, Shelby Crossings, had a showing of the movie this past Sunday evening. One of our church members, Theresa Preston, co-wrote the film. Her husband works sound for the production company that produced the film and he too worked on it. It was filmed and produced here in Alabama. It was fun to see local places that we knew well, in the film. The filming of October Baby was sponsored by many local churches and pastors. We loved seeing so many names scroll by at the end that we knew. This past Sunday morning Theresa gave her testimony in front of the church and I was so touched by what she shared and how God lead her into writing this film. 

As you know, our family has been sent many Christian films these past couple of years to review. Thinking back I believe that their was only one movie that we really didn't care for but even those we loved tended to have cheesy parts in them. I was therefore surprised that October Baby didn't have any cheesy moments. It felt so real. The acting was professional. But above and beyond that...it was the message. Completely the message. 

I believe this film has the ability to impact lives. I believe this film has the ability to save lives. It is my prayer that that will be the case as word of mouth passes about it. 

If you haven't had a chance to see this film....check it out. It is on play instantly right now on Netflix. You might want to grab a box of Kleenex to be safe. Your heart will be touched. 

MORE ABOUT THE FILM: 

As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before she can utter her first lines, Hannah—unscripted—collapses in front of the stunned audience.

After countless medical tests, all signs point to one underlying factor: Hannah's difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to what she then learns from her parents: she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt.

Bewildered, angered, and confused, Hannah turns for support to Jason, her oldest friend. Encouraged by his adventurous spirit, Hannah joins his group of friends on a Spring Break road trip, embarking on a journey to discover her hidden past … and find hope for her unknown future.

In the midst of her incredible journey, Hannah finds that life can be so much more than what you have planned.

OCTOBER BABY will remind moviegoers that every life is beautiful. As it does, the movie will open eyes and hearts to the sanctity of life. 

Visit the October Baby main website, HERE, to learn more and watch the trailer. 

"You saw me before I was born." Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

1st CAMaloupe!

This past week was a cause of celebration for Camden. Our 1st CAMaloupe was harvested out of this years garden.

It was juicy. It was delicious! It was perfect! 

It cracked on the outside before we harvested it and I was worried that it wasn't going to be good on the inside. I knew Cam had been watching it carefully and anticipating when we could pick it, so I was so thankful when we sliced into it and saw it was just fine on the inside! 

Our 2nd one is just about ready to be harvested. I have one happy Camden right now! 

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58: 11 (NIV)

Summer Fun: Helena Waterfall & Movie in Park

One of our favorite summer activities, since moving to our new home, has been visiting a local waterfall and creek in Helena, Alabama. It's such a gorgeous and fun area to visit. The waterfall has history with the civil war. It is the location of an old train depot and their is a fun little hamburger shop that overlooks the waterfall. Within walking distance of the falls is a local park that offers Friday night movies in the park, every other week. 

We've visited twice this summer. Once last month and this past Friday evening too. Here are some pictures from last month's visit. I haven't even had a chance to look at the pictures I took this past Friday so they will come later. We took our neighbors and Abby with us last month and they all loved it. 

Abby, Annie, & Emmy

Cruise giving little sister Fatima a ride. 

Camden took his water gun. 

She is so gorgeous! 

That's Ally under the falls. Her favorite place to be. 

The current was strong last month due to a lot of rain and the girls loved it. They would start out here by the waterfall and let the current push them down the creek. 

The movie we saw last month was Hotel Transylvania. 

"Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit." Leviticus 26:4 

My Eucharisteo's {234-262}

234) contrast of colors

235) blueberry casserole with Panera bread 

236) service project for older kids- helping to clean camp cabins for an orphan camp near Montgomery 

237) lightning flashes after dark 

238) cucumber sandwiches 

239) playing in rain 

Emmy & Ally on the trampoline. 

240) falling asleep to rain 

241) gorgeous golden red sunset against large gray clouds 

242) time alone 

243) kneading bread dough 

244) brother and sister sweetness

245) kindred spirits 

246) new friends over for lunch after church

247) community 

248) realness 

249) baby's smile 

250) zucchini and cucumber fresh from the garden 

251) free Panera bread this week for Maria and us 

252) visit to Shocco Springs 

253) worship at camp 

254) others being thankful for Bryan and his work at SL and telling me so

255) pumpkin muffins 

256) green beans from neighbors garden 

257) healing of Emmy's sprained ankle 

258) picture Camden drew of Bryan and I (I'm framing this one!) 

259) afternoon summer showers (thankful that it waters my garden for an hour each afternoon) 

260) chicken soup from neighbor 

261) windows/views in our home 

262) good reports from Bryan's physical

The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with Joy! Psalm 126:3

A Trip to Shocco Springs

Bryan got a call that a printer out at Shocco was messing up so he needed to make a trip out to take care of it. He went one afternoon and we all went with him for a visit. It wouldn't seem like summer to us if we didn't visit Shocco at least once. One of the kids camps had just started up on the day we went out. 

This is the office where the church teams check in when they arrive at Shocco. Student Life staff is set up here each day during camp. The church teams are given booklets, name tags, and camp packets on the day they check in. Parents are able to email their kids and SL staff prints the emails and gives them to church leaders to pass on to the kids throughout camp time. It's actually pretty amazing all that goes in to running the camps. It always exhausts me to visit the office and see all that the staff is dealing with on any given day. When Bryan goes out to Shocco each May and spends the week out there- he is setting up the computers and equipment in this room and preparing the staff with what they need to run the camps. That week always happens prior to the first camps starting and the entire summer staff is at Shocco that week for training before they head out to their locations across the country. 

Preparation for the camps start months prior in the warehouse at the Student Life office where Bryan loads up these cases with the computers and equipment that is needed for each camp. Their are 18 camp locations across the country. Shocco is one of the main ones here in Alabama. Samford University is another camp location here in Alabama (for teen camps) and the third Alabama location is down on the beach in Gulf Shores. These large bins are loaded up in moving vans which the camp teams drive to camp and unload the week before the 1st camp begins. Multiple camps are held at one location and then the teams drive to the next location. So one team may drive out to Colorado and spend 3 weeks their hosting 4-5 camps and then drive down to Texas to the next location and set up for camps there and on and on throughout the summer. Some of the camp staff is full time year round at Student Life and then you have many of the camp teams which are hired just for the summer. Many of the summer staff return year after year. Those that work full time throughout the year work on promoting the camps in off-camp season. Bryan typically only travels to the Alabama camps. All of the other locations phone him for support and help when they need it which is why his phone rings off the hook, 7 days a week, during the summer months when camps are in session. Bryan spends months prior to the first camp setting each computer up with the software and information needed for the teams during the check in process and making sure all of the right supplies are in the bins before the vans and camp teams head out at the start of summer When our older kids go to the office with Bryan to help him out during the spring- they are helping to prepare these things. 

On the day we went out to Shocco the churches had just checked in and were starting their first day of camp. Their were 1000 kids from 48 different churches around the south that had driven to Shocco for this Student Life kids camp. 

Shocco Springs is a beautiful campus in Talladega, AL. It is owned by the Alabama Baptist Association and throughout the year they host many retreats and conferences in addition to the Student Life camps. 

Em took these next few pictures.....

Em with her best bud Abby. 

The kids spent some time playing while Bryan worked in the office on the printer. 

When Bryan was done in the office we headed upstairs for dinner in the camp cafeteria.

'

The soft serve ice cream machine at camp is something Camden and Ally always look forward to. 

We had around 30 minutes after dinner before evening worship so we headed to the playground to hang out. 

The day ended with worship and meeting time in the chapel. 

Waiting for chapel time. 

I'm not sure who the band was for this camp but they were good. 

1000 kids praising God! I don't think it can get much sweeter than this! 

Camden singing "I'm free!" 

Drama team performing the evening skit. 

Chris giving the evening sermon. Chris is one of the pastors at our old church and Student Life hired him this past year to preach at the kids camps at the Shocco location. 

Their are 3 more weeks of camps and then the teams will start rolling back into the office and it will be inventory time for Bryan as he checks everyone and everything back in. We have heard some great reports from this years camps. Many students have come to know the Lord this summer and many have been encouraged in their walks with Christ. I got a note from one of the FIAR moms last week. She went down with her youth group from Mississippi to one of the camps in Daytona and Tricia said it was an incredible week for their youth group. Please be in prayer for all of the young people that have attended camps this summer. For the seeds that have sprouted and those that have been planted. That God would continue to be made known and glorified in these lives. 

Matthew 28:19