The Roberts Family

I've moved my blog!

2007-07-17T16:04:00.000-05:00

I've moved over to Wordpress, like many others. Please update your bookmarks with...

http://troberts.wordpress.com/

Loveshack Baby!

2007-07-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been that long! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, who just so happens to be an awesome father too. I love him more than words can express!

Last night we enjoyed a romantic dinner at The Melting Pot in Nashville. We were seated in the "Loveshack" which is the most private seating of the restaurant. It was awesome! I would definitely recommend asking for it if you plan on going in the future.

This is when Guy opened his anniversary gift to find some new music AND concert tickets to John Mayer, Ben Folds, and James Morrison. I knew he was going to LOVE it and I just had to capture his reaction. He surprised me with an overnight stay at a local Bed & Breakfast next weekend. It will be a great time to reflect on our 12 years and how we can become even better helpmates, lovers, parents, etc... I can't wait!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Ingram!

2007-07-15T22:39:00.000-05:00

This weekend we married off the last Spur-man! haha! Here are a few pictures from the wedding.

Trying to assemble for a complete Spur family photo...
This is the best one captured with MY camera. I hope someone got a good one, it's not often that we are ALL together.

Think of Me Video

2007-07-11T15:25:00.000-05:00

Something to think about...

Firecracker Day!

2007-07-09T11:51:00.001-05:00

Our Brave Little Princess

2007-07-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

This morning our little girl had surgery to lengthen the tightened muscle in her neck caused by congenital muscular torticollis. This will allow her to have better range of motion and hopefully be able to hold her head straight, instead of at a tilt. She was a champ through the whole thing and she is doing great. I will have my hands full this next couple weeks trying to keep her entertained without engaging in too much physical activity. Have some ideas? Let me know!

Here are some pics from today... heading into the hospital, Cadie being her silly self right after the surgery, and then headed home. Thank you all for your prayers. We love you all!

I miss my hubby!

2007-06-26T12:21:00.000-05:00

Four more days and I will FINALLY get to see my love. Cadie and I get to spend a couple days with him at a camp in TN just playing and loving on each other before her surgery next Tuesday. I don't know if I will laugh or cry when I see him, probably both. This has been a very busy, stressful, LONG summer and I can't wait until he's off the road for a bit.

We'll be celebrating our 12 year anniversary next month, which seems weird to me. Time flies when you're in love I guess. Three more years and we'll be renewing our vows in Hawaii! :-)

WINNER!!!!

2007-06-21T08:46:00.000-05:00

Paul Potts wins all on Britain's Got Talent. If you watched the videos in my last post you know this is a great story. I've never really listened to Opera and was really moved by these performances. The emotion you hear through the music tells a story, even if you don't understand the words. Now I want to listen to some more.

Paul Potts

2007-06-15T11:44:00.001-05:00

Great story!

We did it!

2007-06-07T15:32:00.001-05:00

This morning we went for a hike up to Rattlesnake Summit, proving that I am NOT just a city girl! (So there Tim!! hehe) It was quite steep at times but well worth it in the end. Here is a picture from the Summit, I will add more pictures when I have faster internet to upload them with.

Here is the official description of the trail...
"Rattlesnake Trail: Strenuous trail, with sparkling creek rest hollow half way up. One mile to the summit. Includes Rattlesnake and Copperhead Overlooks."

Good thing I found it AFTER the hike or I may have chickened out. :-) The word strenuous does not make it into any of the other trail descriptions. I am so proud of myself for hanging in there.

Spur Video

2007-06-06T20:53:00.000-05:00

Student Life Tour

2007-06-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

Spur58 will be featured on the Student Life Tour starting in December. Be sure to check and see if they are coming to your area.

Click here for the details.

This summer... at band camp....

2007-06-05T12:24:00.000-05:00

This week I'm at the Student Life Camp in Ridgecrest NC with Guy. Spur58 is leading worship all week. The scenery is beautiful. The weather is awesome. The people are great. This week is perfect. This is just what I needed. Guy has been traveling alot lately and will continue on after this camp for another 5 weeks. I will be honest and say it is hard on me when he is gone, physically and emotionally. So I have been looking forward to this week of rest and relaxation.

Grandma and Grandpa Roberts have Cadie for the week so we will be able to spend lots of quality time together. Last night we sat in a swing and just talked outside. It was wonderful. Today, I slept in (which was wonderful as well) and then we attempted to play tennis. :-) We will be doing some hiking and other things as well during the week. Fun!

Why?

2007-06-04T13:26:00.000-05:00

So … why do I find myself still waiting … still walking the fence, knowing the side I must fall to, righteously … still, after fear is revealed, and hope given … still … I linger on that fence … not stultified … just uncertain … do I remain waiting for an opportunity of my choosing? or His? I wish to leap … but to where? … and apart from His purpose, to what end? If Jesus is my Lord, why do I wait? (R. Porter)

I found this comment posted on Erwin McManus' website. It deeply touched my heart. For a while now I have been struggling with my purpose in life. I have desires, but where do they fall within God's will for my life? What IS God's will for my life? How do I know if I'm on the right path? How do I know if I'm NOT?

Camping

2007-05-28T21:09:00.000-05:00

Well, Cadie and I took on the great outdoors together and we PREVAILED!!! I promised my baby girl we would camp out last weekend and so we did. I busted out the ol' tent from the attic, set it up in the back yard and put the fire bowl and two tiki torches in front of it. It was indeed survivor Thompson's Station. We roasted marsh mallows and squished them between two keebler fudge stripes cookies (the easier version of smores). As you can see from the picture we also busted out the ol' guitar and the girls (Cadie and her cousin Rachel) sang around the campfire. It was fun stuff, until it was time for night night. I put Cadie's mattress in the tent and used an air mattress for uncle T.J. and I. Well, by the time the night was over uncle T.J. had gone home, (air mattress was messing with his neck and back) and I had brought Rachel in as her allergies were messing with her sinuses big time. Cadie slept through all this and I toughed out the night on the air mattress, waking to a sore back. It's a cheap air mattress.

Anyway, Cadie and I made it all the way thru the night in the great outdoors and it was a good time. We will try this again, just the two of us, unless Tracy wants to try as well, but next time we will have better sleeping conditions. GOOD TIMES CADIE BUG!!!

Two Wolves

2007-05-21T10:01:00.000-05:00

This was in an email forwarding to me, I thought I'd share it.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a
battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two
"wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret,
greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility,
kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:

"Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick Martin!

2007-05-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend we had the privilege of celebrating the love between two of our friends, Chad & Stephanie. We had a wonderful time getting to know their families and friends. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the wedding day.

Gratitude

2007-05-14T12:42:00.000-05:00

Last week the Save the Sloth Challenge was to practice genuine gratitude.

While looking over Erwin McManus' website today I read this and it really touched my heart. I've been ungrateful and I didn't know it until I read this. WOW!

Perspective is a fascinating thing. It impacts everything. Perspective is not formed in a vacuum. It is the expression of our measure of gratitude. Grateful people are thankful for what they have and enter with minimal expectations of others. They see the glass half full since they expected nothing and are thankful for what is given to them. A person who is ungrateful wonders who took the other half of their drink. All of us struggle with selfishness but brokenness justifies it. Ungratefulness creates unreasonable expectations. Whatever is done is expected. It is never enough. An ungrateful person cannot be made grateful by meeting their demands. Until a person is willing to appreciate life, serve others, and even sacrifice of their own possessions they will never find the healing they so long for and need. The pathway to wholeness is the development of gratitude. Gratitude is the beginning of the ethos from which wholeness emerges.

Read it all here: http://www.erwinmcmanus.com/broken-pieces

Another reason NOT to eat fast food!

2007-05-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

Not for the weak stomach!!

Ok, we know the health reasons as to why we shouldn't eat fast food but have you thought of this?

Today I grabbed a grilled chicken sandwich from McDonald's because I forgot to pack my lunch. Because of a recent lifestyle change in diet I only eat the meat, no bread, but today I was going to eat it ALL. I didn't order french fries or a drink, just the sandwich and I was hungry so I was going all in.

I get back to my desk at work and pull my sandwich box from the obviously kid targeted Shrek bag. Oh the sweet smell of fast food! I clear my area so that my focus is on this grilled chicken sandwich that I am about to devour. I pull back the top of the box and immediately notice the lady bug that is crawling on my sandwich bun. Ok, so I won't be eating the bun. My mind quickly remembers an incident from last summer at THIS SAME MCDONALDS. I had ordered a chocolate dipped ice cream cone through the drive thru and as I drove off I went to take a lick and noticed a hair sticking out of my ice cream. Just the thought of hair in my food makes me gag and this hair was embedded in the ice cream. Was it in the machine or chocolate coating? Either way...GROSS!!!

So, back to lunch. I decide to go ahead and eat the grilled chicken part since it was steaming hot (which in itself is unusual for McDonalds). Surely the ladybug hadn't touched it. I found a little bit of salad in the fridge to eat with it so that I would not starve to death. haha! As I begin eating I decide to google "why not eat fast food?" Check out the links below. Needless to say I did NOT finish the grilled chicken. All of a sudden I'm not very hungry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3473728/

http://www.blurofinsanity.com/fastfood.html

Monkeys, Elephants, Giraffe and a SLOTH...Oh My!

2007-05-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

Admission $34
2 Snacks and a drink $8.50
Quality time with friends...PRICELESS!

Sunday after church we headed to the Nashville Zoo with our friends the Riggs family. We had a great time talking and watching our little ones oooh and aaah over the animals. After the amount of walking we did I do not feel one bit guilty about the ice cream sandwich I ate. haha! Thanks for a fun day Riggs family.

Blake ROCKS!

2007-05-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

We believe that Blake is the most original contestant on American Idol and henceforth and hitherto shall be crowned Sir Blake, THE American Idol!

Gone Fishin!

2007-05-02T08:48:00.000-05:00

It's been YEARS since I've done any fishing, and when I did the results were nothing to write home about. A friend of mine, (we'll call him Steven Riggs, cuz that's his name) had made the offer to take me out fishing on his boat quite a few times in the past couple of years, and I had been wanting to go forever. So I asked him last week if he was going out this Tue. and his answer was a resounding "...ok...". So yesterday we hit Percy Priest lake at a little after 6 in the morning. I must say, I didn't have great expectations. 1. I'm not a very knowledgable fisherman and 2. I've never had any luck with anything other than catching a cold or brook trout at 7 years old on a Zebco 202 rod/reel combo (very professional).

Well after about 30 min. of no luck at the first spot we hit this little cove Steven had heard about on a web post. He started catching fish in about 10 min. My hopes started rising but I wasn't getting over confident. I started using what he was using and he gave me some great pointers. after about 10 more min. (and a good coffee pee in the woods, hehe) it was FISH ON!! I started pulling in large mouth bass! The one there in the pic was one of my first, only about 1 lb. or so. Notice how I hold it a tad closer to the camera as to make the fish appear larger :-)! We hit a few more coves and points that day and had about 3 or 4 hours of some good fishing! I caught about 12 or 13 fish that day including a black bass and a nice small mouth that put up a good fight. Steven caught large mouth, small mouth and a nice sized Crappie. Way to go Riggs!! Between us we caught about 25 fish or so, and I got some much needed sun. Being the night owl that most musicians are it was good to get some vitamin D from ol' Mr. Sun.

Anyway, I had a blast and now I'm adding a boat to my list of things I'd like to purchase. What a great way to spend some time with the fam! Out on the water taking in creation and hanging with my girls. Thanks for a great day Riggs! See ya next Tues!

A WAKE UP CALL?!

2007-05-01T09:21:00.000-05:00

I received this in my email and think it is quite thought provoking.

Dear God:

Why didn't you save the school children at:
Moses Lake , Washington 2/2/96
Bethel , Alaska 2/19/97
Pearl , Mississippi 10/1/97
West Paducah , Kentucky 12/1/97
Stamp, Arkansas 12/15/97
Jonesboro , Arkansas 3/24/98
Edinboro , Pennsylvania 4/24/98
Fayetteville , Tennessee 5/19/98
Springfield , Oregon 5/21/98
Richmond , Virginia 6/15/98
Littleton , Colorado 4/20/99
Taber , Alberta , Canada 5/28/99
Conyers , Georgia 5/20/99
Deming , New Mexico 11/19/99
Fort Gibson , Oklahoma 12/6/99
Santee , California 3/5/01
El Cajon , California 3/22/01 and
Blacksburg , Virginia 4/16/07?

Sincerely,
Concerned Student

-----------------------------------------------------

Reply:

Dear Concerned Student:

I am not allowed in schools.

Sincerely,
God

----------------------------------------------------------

How did this get started?...

-----------------

Let's see,
I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare complained
she didn't want any prayer in our schools.

And we said, OK..

------------------

Then,
someone said you better not read the Bible in school,
the Bible that says
"thou shalt not kill,
thou shalt not steal,
and love your neighbors as yourself,"

And we said, OK...

-----------------

Dr. Benjamin Spock said
we shouldn't spank our children
when they misbehaved
because their little personalities
would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem.

And we said,
an expert should know what he's talking about
so we won't spank them anymore..

------------------

Then someone said
teachers and principals better not
discipline our children when they misbehave.
And the school administrators said
no faculty member in this school
better touch a student when they misbehave
because we don't want any bad publicity,
and we surely don't want to be sued.

And we accepted their reasoning...

------------------

Then someone said,
let's let our daughters have abortions if they want,
and they won't even have to tell their parents.

And we said, that's a grand idea...

------------------

Then some wise school board member said,
since boys will be boys
and they're going to do it anyway,
let's give our sons all the condoms they want,
so they can have all the fun they desire,
and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school.

And we said, that's another great idea...

------------------

Then some of our top elected officials said
it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs.

And we said,
it doesn't matter what anybody,
including the President,
does in private as long as we have jobs and the economy is good....

------------------

And someone else took that appreciation a step further
and published pictures of nude children
and then stepped further still by
making them available on the Internet.

And we said, everyone's entitled to free speech....

------------------

And the entertainment industry said,
let's make TV shows and movies that promote
profanity, violence and illicit sex...
And let's record music that encourages
rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes...

And we said,
it's just entertainment
and it has no adverse effect
and nobody takes it seriously anyway,
so go right ahead.

------------------

Now we're asking ourselves
why our children have no conscience,
why they don't know right from wrong,
and why it doesn't bother them to
kill strangers, classmates or even themselves.

------------------

Undoubtedly,
if we thought about it long and hard enough,
we could figure it out.
I'm sure it has a great deal to do with...

"WE REAP WHAT WE SOW,"

------------------

Pass it on
if you think it has merit!
If not then just discard it...
but if you discard this thought process,
then don't you dare sit back and complain about
what bad shape this country is in.

In God We Trust

Pet Swap

2007-04-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

Princess the hamster wasn't as fun as we had thought she'd be. Cadie was not happy with the fact that she slept all day and couldn't play with and love on her like she wanted to. This past weekend we stopped by Petsmart to see about getting a ball for Princess to run around in. We visited the kitty's and fell in love with one named Sally. So, the hammie went back to be with her friends at Petsmart and Sally came home to live with us. We love her!

Meet Princess

2007-04-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's not Sally, it's Princess. It would have been something much longer but I (daddy) talked her out of naming her Princess Sleeping Beauty the Hamster, whew! Ok, that's her FORMAL name, but we just call her Princess, a much more "pet" like name. She's a cute little rodent that hopefully will keep Cadie in her room at night. We'll keep ya posted. Anyway, welcome to the fam Princess!

We're adding to our family!

2007-04-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, now don't get all excited, I am NOT pregnant. We are adding our first family pet, a hamster named Sally (the name may change depending on Cadie's mood when we pick her up, hehe).

It all started with a bribe. Since Cadie's tonsils have been removed she has been sleeping SO much better. It was time for her to stop coming into mommy and daddy's bed in the middle of the night. So we told her if she could stay in her bed all night for 7 days we would get her a "starter" pet. And if she did come into mommy and daddy's bed she would have to start all over from day one. SHE DID IT! WooHoo! So, today after school we will go and get Sally. We have told Cadie that she will have to stay in her room all night from now on to keep Sally company. I sure hope this plan continues to work! :-)

Easter Egg Hunt

2007-04-07T19:17:00.000-05:00

Today we braved the cold to go to the annual Easter Egg Hunt at a local church. It was very windy and cold. We had a good time though. Cadie and cousin Rachel quickly filled their baskets and then they were off to jump and bounce. They took a ride on the train and stopped for a picture with the easter bunny before we left. Last year we got sunburned, this year we got chapped. Go figure!

Happy Easter!

Snowing!?!

2007-04-07T19:10:00.000-05:00

I thought Spring was here! We had been having beautiful almost too hot for spring weather. And then early this week it decides to get cold again. I am NOT happy! I am more than ready for Springtime. So, much to my suprise...snow flurries. Yep, the fuzzy white dots in the picture are snow flurries. It actually came down pretty good for a minute and then it was done. CRAZY! Give me my Spring back!!

Update

2007-04-03T16:05:00.000-05:00

Cadie is doing great! She is eating (A LOT) and still refusing any pain medication. She has been waking up crying every night though. I'm not sure what that's all about. I thought I'd finally be getting some restful sleep at night. :-) Well, hopefully soon.

We met with an orthopedic surgeon at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital yesterday about her torticollis. She will have a CT Scan on Wed to make sure there is no bone involved. If everything comes back clear, we'll be proceeding with the surgery to release her tight neck muscle. My sweet girl has been through so much, but I am SO thankful that the issues have been minor. My heart goes out to those parents who basically live at hospitals with their sick children.

Thank you God for a beautiful, healthy child. She is such a blessing to us!

Finally!

2007-03-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Cadie is now tonsil and adenoid free. And sleeping quietly!! The surgery went great and Cadie was the perfect patient. She didn't start complaining of pain until late in the afternoon but is refusing to take pain medicine. What a trooper! BUT she is also not wanting to eat or drink (which I can understand) so we're having to force her to drink. Her voice is different which takes a little getting used to. It is now a much higher pitch, but still cute as always!

Big Nasty Tonsils!

2007-03-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

So, 4 days until Cadie gets her tonsils and adenoids removed. We thought we would enlighten you with a picture of those big nasty tonsils that have taken over her whole throat. No wonder she makes so much noise when she sleeps at night. Geesh!

Two days ago, in preparation of the surgery, Cadie had 3 vials of blood taken from her arm. Over the phone I was told that they were just going to prick her finger. So, imagine the surprise for her and daddy when they arrived at the lab.

She did an awesome job! She didn't even cry, although she looked like she could. When it was done she said "Daddy, I saw my blood." She is soo cute and we are soo very proud of her.

We wanted to reward her for doing such a great job so we told her she could get a special surprise, like a toy or something. She didn't want a toy, she wanted a dress. So here she is modeling her new BIG GIRL dress!

A Day In The Life of Spur58

2007-03-19T14:13:00.000-05:00

Today is a momentous day!

2007-03-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

I arrived home from work today to find my baby girl riding her bike WITHOUT training wheels. We are SOO proud of her!

Even daddy got in on the fun!

Bad Habits

2007-03-03T10:33:00.000-06:00

Last weekend while giving curly-head a bath she says "You have boogers." And then proceeded to ask if she could have them. GROSS! We've tried every explanation of why she should not eat her boogers with no avail in getting her to stop. She also bites her nails terribly and has since birth it seems like. Now I can't really say much on the nail biting issue. I've been a nail biter all my life as well, BUT I want to stop. If anyone has any ideas on how we can defeat our bad habits...PLEASE let me know!!

Random Thoughts

2007-02-16T11:59:00.000-06:00

On my way to work yesterday I passed a man driving a lime green VW beetle with a bunch of yellow daisies in the vase by the steering wheel. Now this was one of the newer VW's, not the cool old school one. For some reason it just seemed "wrong" to me. They just seem like such a feminine car. And the flowers.... need I say more?

Ok, I am one to occasionally make or take a phone call while driving. My mother hates this and I think she has even devised a plan for Cadie to tell on me when I do. Anyway, I'm beginning to get very annoyed with people talking on their cell phones while driving. Not like this is a new problem but people are NOT using their turn signals. And that really ticks me off. And for those that do but only long enough to flash the light once, well really, what's the point? Come on, we've got people shoving their face with food, talking on their cell phone AND trying to drive. How can we really be aware of what's going on around us if we're so darn distracted? AND, to top it all off...I have watched semi-truck drivers navigating a 90 degree turn while talking on the phone. How? They're having to swing wide to make the turn while not hitting oncoming traffic or running over the curb, all while shifting through several gears. I guess practice makes perfect!

Beautiful Landscape

2007-02-15T09:09:00.000-06:00

Snow covered the land this morning. Not a bunch, just enough to make everything look beautiful. Snow covered the dead brown grass, the litter that has been thrown about, and even junk piles you often see in ditches or just on the other side of the fence. You know what I mean. Snow makes everything look clean, perfect, without fault, and just beautiful.

As I pondered this on my way to work I thought about how WE do this. We try to paint our own "perfect" picture of our lives for others to see. We paste a smile on our face and appear to be the perfect wife, mother, homemaker, employee, CHRISTIAN.

The truth is that we are all sinners. We have or have had trash in our lives that we cover or have covered in the past. Things that we do not want made known. Things we hide and hold on to, maybe out of fear of dealing with them, or shame or embarrassment. We care too much about what others think of us and not enough about what God did for us. God already knows our sins, we CHOOSE to hang on to them. And For what reason?

The verses below spoke to my heart today. I hope you too will be encouraged.

Psalms 32: 1-6
1 A psalm of David. Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude 6 Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. (The New Living Translation)

Isaiah 1:16-20
16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways. 17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows. 18 "Come now, let us argue this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool. 19 If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat. 20 But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!" (The New Living Translation)

Laughter is the best medicine!

2007-02-15T08:26:00.000-06:00

Amazing Example of Why You Need to Get a Second Opinion Before ANY Health Procedure

The doctor said, "Bill, the good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition that causes your testicles to press on your spine and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles."

Bill was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He had no choice but to go under the knife. When he left the hospital, he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.

He saw a men's clothing store and thought, "That's what I need ... a new suit."

He entered the shop and told the salesman, "I'd like a new suit."

The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, "Let's see... size 44 long."

Bill laughed, "That's right, how did you know?"

"Been in the business 60 years!" the tailor said.

Bill tried on the suit. It fit perfectly.

As Bill admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about a new shirt?"

Bill thought for a moment and then said, "Sure."

The salesman eyed Bill and said, "Let's see 34 sleeves and 16-1/2 neck."

Bill was surprised, "That's right, how did you know?"

"Been in the business 60 years."

Bill tried on the shirt and it fit perfectly.

Bill walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, "How about some new underwear?"

Bill thought for a moment and said, "Sure."

The salesman said, "Let's see... size 36."

Bill laughed, "Ah ha! I got you; I've worn a size 34 since I was 18 years old."

The salesman shook his head, "You can't wear a size 34. A size 34 would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache."

New suit -- $400

New shirt -- $36

New underwear -- $6

Second Opinion -- PRICELESS

http://www.mercola.com/2007/feb/15/a-very-important-reason-to-get-a-second-opinion-before-any-health-procedure.htm

LOVE

2007-02-14T10:56:00.000-06:00

Today is Valentine's Day. When said and done, millions of dollars will have been spent on perishable items in the hopes of PROVING our love to our significant others. Why do we say that? What makes everyone ELSE less significant? Why are we not showing love to EVERY one, EVERY day?

I've gathered a few LOVE NOTES, some things to think about. I hope you take the time to read them and I pray that they bless your heart today.

Love: affectionate concern for the well-being of others (www.dictionary.com)

The Most Important Command

34 -36 When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?"

37 -40 Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." (The Message Bible)

I love how the Message Bible states it... "Love others AS WELL AS you love yourself."

1 Corinthians 13

1 IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c] in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as [e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand [f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been [g]fully and clearly known and understood [[h]by God].

13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes:
# 1 Corinthians 13:1 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
# 1 Corinthians 13:2 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
# 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some ancient manuscripts so read.
# 1 Corinthians 13:8 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
# 1 Corinthians 13:12 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
# 1 Corinthians 13:12 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
# 1 Corinthians 13:12 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
# 1 Corinthians 13:12 Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Holy Bible.

Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
AMP at Lockman The Lockman Foundation Amplified at Zondervan Zondervan

BE BLESSED AND LOVE ON SOMEONE TODAY!!

Spur58 On The Road

2007-02-09T09:13:00.000-06:00

SPUR58-Ohama the great!

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Waste of time?

2007-02-06T19:42:00.000-06:00

I recently had my yearly physical. In my quest to find out what is causing my headaches and IBS I subject myself willingly to allergy testing. My thought being "surely this will provide some answers." Not so much. I did find that I am mildly allergic to mold, and moderately allergic to trees and grass. This would explain the massive phlegm build up I occassionally get. Eww. Anyway, on the food allergy side of things, the results were pretty inconclusive. In research AFTER THE FACT I find out that blood testing for food allergies is much more reliable. So I guess that would be the next step since I'm not too eager to completely drop egg yolk, wheat, oat, mushrooms, pineapple, black pepper, green olives and grapefruit from my diet. I mean, what would I eat? Egg yolk, wheat and oat is pretty much in everything. It's amazing when you start looking at food labels.

Snow...finally!

2007-02-02T19:34:00.000-06:00

We finally got enough snow last night to warrant a snow day. Unfortunately I still had to work. Guy, Cadie and Rachel (Cadie's cousin) spent some time sledding down the hill by our house. Brr! It's cold outside!

Spur58 on UK Music Sampler

2007-01-19T09:29:00.000-06:00

SPUR58 included on new Music Sampler CD in the UK. Refresh Music Sampler includes 16 tracks from the hottest new and bestselling artists from the USA, and releases to the UK this month. Artists include Building 429, By the Tree, Barlow Girl, Stellar Kart, and The Longing, and more.

Click here to view the sampler!

Cadie's green thumb!

2007-01-18T14:10:00.000-06:00

Cadie spent last weekend with grandma and Patpa. She loves getting dirty and working with Patpa's tools. Here they are working together.

Apparently she took a break to talk to mommy and daddy.

VOTE FOR SPUR58!!

2007-01-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

VOTE FOR SPUR58 - BEST NEW ARTIST OF 2006 - READERS CHOICE

Yes you read right! SPUR58 has been nominated for "Best New Artist of 2006" in the Music Faith's First Annual Readers Choice Awards. So we need your help and your vote!

To vote...just click on the picture below and cast your vote for SPUR58 under the "New Artist of 2006". It's that easy!

THANKS SOO MUCH!!

Are we putting God FIRST in our lives?

2007-01-10T10:07:00.000-06:00

I subscribe to several of Joyce Meyers' podcasts. Every day I hear something in her teaching that opens my eyes in a new way! The podcast I am currently listening to is on "The Ten Commandments." She is talking with a guest named J. John who states this way to find out if we are putting God first in our lives.

Is God FIRST in my life?

In my ... Finances?
In my ... Interests?
In my ... Relationships?
In my ... Schedule?
In my ... Troubles?

If you answered yes to all, then most likely you have made God FIRST in your life. I think this is a great way to remember to keep God FIRST in everything!!

Later in the podcast Joyce shares that at one point in her ministry God laid this upon her heart...

You're so proud of yourself because you work for me, but the problem is you're not spending any time with me.

WOW!

Get the podcast at: http://www.joycemeyer.com/OurMinistries/Podcasts/podcastdownloads.htm

Former American Idol Contestant at Chili's

2007-01-04T15:49:00.000-06:00

So, there we are eating lunch at Chili's in Brentwood. Guy says "That guy looks familiar but I'm not sure why." I look and say "That's Bucky from American Idol." Like Duh! We go back and forth, is it? can it be? I was sure it was. We discreetly tried to capture a picture on Guy's cell phone but we were too far away. Guy was convinced after someone went and asked for Bucky's autograph. Too funny!

Season 6 starts soon! I can't wait!!

New Year Resolutions

2007-01-04T10:14:00.000-06:00

Resolution - a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.

Here are mine (in no certain order):

Get out of debt (except the house),
Eat healthier,
Exercise,
Lose 15 pounds,
Read more,
Be a better parent,
MAKE the time to do all these things!!

I hope you have much success with your resolutions for this new year. By the end of 2007 I will be a debt free, healthy, literate, SUPER MOM!! haha

Tracy

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T19:12:00.000-06:00

The day after Christmas we headed to Gatlinburg for a week. Spur58 lead worship at two Xtreme Youth Conferences in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The band rented an awesome cabin where the whole Spur family lived for the week. The kids played, the adults played, we all had a great time!

Here's a pic driving into Gatlinburg. The picture is deceiving though, the traffic was horrible!

Guy playing at the first conference in Gatlinburg. There were around 6,000 kids there.

We enjoyed the go-karts...on two different days!! :-)

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T10:15:00.000-06:00

We hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas day! Cadie has been enjoying her presents all morning. Santa brought her a radio control Hummer and the game Operation. He also put some candy and Matchbox cars in her stocking. We've ALL been having a fun time. We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

On Air in 3, 2,...

2006-12-15T11:44:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the guys recorded some songs and an interview for a show called Sound Check on the Daystar network. It will air in March 2007. We will keep you posted so that you can check it out!

Your mission, if you choose to accept it....

2006-12-14T08:52:00.000-06:00

Guy has been in TX for several days now with Spur58. During some down time he and the road manager made a trip to the Space Center. Here are a couple pics.

Gosh, work sucks huh???

Keep Praying for Poppy

2006-12-11T20:02:00.000-06:00

Last week my mother's father (we call him Poppy) suffered a heart attack and mini stroke. While at the hospital other health issues were revealed. Thank you to all that have been praying for my nanny and poppy. Please keep them in your prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Back to Reality

2006-11-30T15:36:00.000-06:00

Well, the vacation is over and it's back to the real world! We had a great time in sunny Florida visiting friends and family...and some of our favorites characters as well. :-) Here are a few pics from our trip.

We enjoyed an evening at Disney's MGS Studios where we were able to catch a Playhouse Disney show. We watched Bear and the Big Blue House, Jo Jo's Circus, Pooh, and Stanley.

We stayed at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort and loved checking out all the larger than life sculptures.

We visited Epcot (briefly) and shot this wonderful pic. Cadie also enjoyed Test Track....TWICE!!

We shot this pic at the Magic Kingdom, after a very long day!

Our vacation home! :-) As we walked through Cadie said "Come into my house."

This is the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Amazing!

Cadie and her cousin Trinity.

FL - Here We Come!

2006-11-22T08:49:00.000-06:00

This afternoon we make the trip to Florida for a week to enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends. We will also be visiting Disney's Magic Kingdom while we're there. Cadie is super excited. We hardly ever make it back to Florida so I'm looking forward to a few warmer days.

We hope all of you enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends. It is such a great time to reflect on what we truly are thankful for.

Be blessed!

Retreat

2006-11-20T12:17:00.000-06:00

Well, the ladies retreat was fun! Although I didn't get the physical rest that I desired, I enjoyed the uninterrupted time to rest in the presence of God. The teaching sessions were awesome too. I had time to reflect on where I am in life, what changes need to be made, and so on.

If you've never taken a spiritual vacation, I urge you to get away. Don't make a bunch of plans, just enjoy some time away from the daily grind. Take some time to really focus on God and relax in His presence with no distractions.

One thing I loved about Deer Run Retreat, other than it's beautiful surroundings, was the lack of television. No distractions. Wonderful!

Retreat

2006-11-17T10:58:00.000-06:00

Tonight is the night! My church is having an overnight ladies retreat at Deer Run Retreat Center. www.deerrunretreat.org/index.html

I am soo in need of some time away. Some time to get away from the demands of home, work, and my daughter. Some time to fellowship with other women. Some time to sleep in. One night is not nearly long enough but I'll take it!!

Band Member Portriats

2006-11-13T13:00:00.000-06:00

Cadie wanted Mr. Aaron to draw her some pictures while we waited for our dinner at Chili's. This is what came of that!
Good times, good times!

We're with the band!

2006-11-13T10:08:00.000-06:00

In Cadie's eyes the band is not only a group of cool dudes but also a location. She was soo excited about spending this past weekend with daddy and the band (Spur58) in Dalton, GA. She kept asking "Can we go to the band yet?" Soo cute.

We had a great time with the guys! In my opinion, too much fun to actually call it work. It's one thing to work, most of us have to do that, but it is awesome to have an occupation that is also your hobby, something you really enjoy doing and would do anyway without pay. I will admit, I am jealous of Guy. I want a job like that!

We are blessed to have become friends with Aaron & Jamie (and Cayden & Deacon), Bush & Maris, Jimmie & Laura, and Chad & Stephanie. We love you all and consider you part of our family!

Got Lice?

2006-11-08T14:46:00.000-06:00

This has been our most recent adventure...attack of the annoying lice bugs! We are not sure where they came from and were not at all pleased with their existence in our Cadie-bug's hair. This was the FIRST shampoo to kill the little boogers.

The routine, several times a day for several days...combing out eggs...yuck!

Lice Crispies anyone? Ok, that was just gross.
I know the picture is not that great but the dark dots in the bowl are the lice eggs. They were white in the hair and turned brown in the alcohol (probably because it ate away the eggs shell). Ok this is all too gross.

As far as we know, they're all gone. Of course we will be continuously checking for a while. At least she can go back to school!!

Halloween 2006

2006-11-08T14:33:00.000-06:00

Incredi-girl! or "Violet" from the Incredibles.
I like Incredi-girl better!

Cadie and cousin Rachel.

Silly-girl!

We met up with cousin Rachel and went trick-or-treating in her neighborhood this year. It's soo great that they only live 2 miles away! We had a good time and the girls got lots of great treats. Daddy and Uncle TJ were taking their "daddy tax" before the night was even over.

Welcome To Our Blog!

2006-11-06T13:23:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our family blog. Check back often to see what we are up to these days! Enjoy!!