Cristine

Cristine while waiting at the Children's Hospital in Denver during Malaki's appointment.

Will You Pick Me Up?

I ask that question a lot, usually framed something like this - If I were to stumble and fall would you pick me up and say, “we can make it to the finish line, we can do this together”? I have never had an individual say no, they usually say of course, or at least ponder the moment. But my experience in life has left me thinking the answer for most people is no.

I saw this commercial this morning and cried and rewound it and watched it again and then looked it up on youtube. My boys think I have lost it or at the very least I am a sentimental sap. The reality is I see myself in that little boy, only I see the racers running over me and trampling me. Those months were so painful, I know we’ve all been there, laid flat out on the ground, wondering if the trampling will end, so that we can pull ourselves up. About a month ago, I was still flat on the ground, I’m fairly sure my face had worn an imprint into the race track, and my Father ran a rescue mission for my heart, he reached down and picked me up and set me steady again through his love for me. And not only is he faithful to stand me up but to give me a passion to continue to run the race.

This brings me back to the commercial, are we supposed to pick each other up, are we supposed to “do life together’. I think we are, God is my ultimate rescuer and when the people around me fail, he is so faithful to fill in the gap. BUT I believe his plan is for us to pick each other up, to encourage each other. In the Old Testament, we do not see alot of God asking individuals encouraging others, but rather God being the source of encouragement. In the New Testament, we see a switch, we are to “encourage each other daily” and we are to “encourage and build each other up”. Through this new thing God created, the church, we are asked to encourage each other, love each other, build each other up, walk along side each other, meet the needs of each other, and we are even encouraged to share everything we have with others. Living with my Father, I see that I can’t be out to beat his other children in the race, but rather, I need to be running the race with them. I need to be encouraging them, sharing with them, and loving them. I need to throw American individualism out the door! Watch this commercial, I know you can relate with kid who has stumbled, but can you relate to the kids that run the race together?

We’re all in this together!!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Today is Mom and Dad's 34th Anniversary(or Nana and Papa's or Richard and Toni's - depending on your relationship to them !). Today is a day that cannot go unrecognized, 34 years ago a journey began that would impact many people both within the home and without. Not only is it a joy to celebrate the union of my parents but it is a joy to celebrate a marriage lived abundantly.



Thank you Mom and Dad for being such an example of the life and marriage Christ longs for us to have.



I cannot leave this without revealing a funny anniversary conversation in my home this morning. I asked my kids to create a message for Nana and Papa. I jokingly reminded them that they would not be here if Nana and Pap had not gotten married. Little Miss Analytical responded with, "We wouldn't be here without Noah either, are we making a message for him." And the youngest asked innocently, "Is it Noah's anniversary, too?" Never a dull moment! Happy Anniversary!



My kids would also like to say something......

Storm at Braddy House

Last night was a night to remember. We had “delivered” our three Cheyenne grandkids to our three Kearney grandkids, and then just as we were leaving to Cheyenne the storm sirens started. Only a few blocks away, we returned to the cellar of Paul and Cristine just as a terrific storm went over Kearney and their home. The result, we had a life long memory with our six grandkids! More pictures at http://www.crockerpages.com/.