Even a 'tater' can tickle us!

Today, while Bella was napping and Emma Grace was busy with her homeschool work at the kitchen table, I decided to start cooking dinner. I was peeling potatoes when I discovered a silly one in the bag! I asked, "Wubs, what does this potato look like to you?" and we both burst into giggles. "It's a heinie potato, Mama!" It doesn't take much to amuse the McNeill family! Wubs insisted we take pictures with the potato, which made me laugh even more. wink!

"Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day."- Psalm 96:2

A lil' more 'Faith'

We have some exciting news to share with you! After much prayer and wise counsel, David and I have a great joy and peace about a new journey for our family! David has accepted a full time position at our precious church, Faith Baptist. After thirteen years with the YMCA, God has asked us to take a step of obedience and leave a job that has blessed us, given us many sweet memories, and dear friendships. We will always be very thankful for the YMCA!

David will begin working at Faith on the first Sunday in December. We are looking forward to this new season in our life! It has been the desire of our hearts to serve in vocational ministry together and we praise God for this opportunity. Only the Lord could have woven this beautiful plan together for us!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."- Jeremiah 29:11-13

...I do.

When I first met my husband, over 8 years ago, I remember being so nervous around him that I could feel my face turning red every time we would talk! We met at the YMCA, working as summer camp counselors. It wasn't long before we were dating, and in a short six months, we were engaged! I remember thinking, "I could never love him more than this," but, I was wrong.

Months after we got married, we moved from South Carolina to Raleigh (over five hours away from our church, our family, and our friends) and we had to cling to each other for companionship, comfort, and encouragement. It was hard time of transition, but I can remember thinking, "I could never love him more than I do right now." I was wrong!

We had some bumpy times in those first years of marriage, and if you've ever heard our testimony, we almost 'didn't make it'. But God is faithful, and He honestly worked a miracle in our lives. My precious husband didn't give up , and he continuously prayed over our marriage. He prayed for me, his wife that had accepted Christ during our engagement but hadn't been discipled. The Lord healed our marriage and brought wise mentors into our lives. Just when I had thought the end of our marriage was near, God opened my eyes, and I saw the man that I loved so very deeply. I didn't think I could ever love him more, but you guessed it- I was wrong!

And today, when I see my husband, the sweet daddy of our two little girls, all snuggled up during bed time stories, my heart melts all over again. Marriage is an a.m.a.z.i.n.g gift from God, and I could not be more thankful for the blessings we've recieved (over and over again) during our journey together! I have found that just when I think, "I couldn't possibly love David more than this"... I do.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."- Genesis 2:24

Trick or Treat!

What a fun Halloween night! Wubs and Bella enjoyed trick or treating for the very first time with their dear friends, Jimmy and Grace.


Emma Grace and Bella were both dressed as Angelina Ballerina, their favorite dancing mouse. Grace was a pizza delivery guy and her hat was actually a pizza! Jimmy, the prisoner, is just like a big brother to our girls- we would bail him out of jail any day! wink!
While Shonna and I walked up and down the neighborhood with the children, Patrick and David passed out candy. Bella wasn't so sure about daddy while he was wearing a mask!When Patrick and David ran out of candy, they rummaged the house for pocket change and candy corn. The candy corn was unwrapped, straight from the candy bowl- and it was mixed into the same bowl as the coins. Are you following me here? (Shaking my head.) wink!


Here are the children with all their loot! Yum!Last week was really busy for our family, due to the Anchor Soul program at our church, so we didn't get a chance to carve our pumpkins until today. We read a story to our girls about a farmer and a pumpkin, because although we enjoyed trick or treating, we don't want Halloween to be about witches and monsters, etc. The story describes a farmer who plants a pumpkin patch, and he takes very good care of his crop. One day, the farmer chooses a pumkin to bring in from the field and he washes it clean. He takes a knife and cuts a hole in the top of the pumpkin, and he cleans out the yucky, slimy pulp and the seeds. Then the farmer gives the pumpkin a new face and places a candle down inside. People pass by the farmer's house and see the glowing smile shining from that beautiful pumpkin. The people can see that the farmer has taken a simple pumpkin and made it special! After we read this story, we got to share scripture with Wubs and Bella about the meaning of this story:

Just like pumpkins, we ALL have something yucky inside of us... except instead of pulp, we have sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."- Romans 3:23

Just like the farmer cleaned his pumpkin, God has made a way for our sins to be forgiven and washed clean. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " Romans 5:8
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."- John 3:16

The farmer gave the pumpkin a new face! God can make us a new creation, too! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Then came the really special part. The candlelight inside the pumpkin glowed for all to see! We can shine for Jesus, too! "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."- Matthew 5:16


After carving our pumpkins and reading our story, we washed our seeds and baked them with some butter and salt! Wubs LOVES pumpkin seeds, but Bella spit hers right back out of her mouth and said, "Mama, that is NOT delicious!"

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased."- Hebrews 13:16

Happy Birthday, Bella!

Dear Bella,
Happy 3rd birthday! We love you so very much! You are such a blessing, and we praise God for you. You make us all smile, and we always enjoy your sweet giggles, your passion for using scissors, your unquenchable desire for lollipops, your daily requests for riding on the swings, your enthusiasm for storybooks, and your endless kisses! We are praying for you each day, and we are so excited to see what God has planned for you!
All our love,
Daddy and Mommy
p.s.-
Wubs says Happy Birthday, too!
She loves being your big sister!



(Just in case you are wondering- Bella does not have a head injury in this photo. She just loves to wear band-aids as accessories. wink.)

"For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does."- Psalm 33:4

Two very small coins

Do you ever read a passage of scripture and feel like God wrote it just for you? wink. I read the story of the widow's offering and God helped me to understand how He measures our efforts. The Lord isn't interested in how much we give, but instead, He is pleased by sincerity and a selfless heart for giving. I can almost imagine Jesus watching this little woman walking alone to the temple. And maybe the rich people walked right past the widow, unaware that one day this woman would be documented by God in His book of Truth! I am so very thankful for God's word. I am praying I will be more like this precious woman, who gave all she had to the Lord.

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." - Luke 21:1-4

Special News!

We are so very blessed! The Lord has heard our prayers and He has filled our hearts with thanksgving! We are expecting again! We got to see our precious baby yesterday and watch that little heartbeat flicker. It was amazing! ( I was reminded that I have taken this moment forgranted in past pregnancies. Years ago, I was happy when we saw Wubs and Bella on that first ultrasound, but I saw that grainy imagine with different eyes yesterday. The sweet baby we lost this summer is still teaching me lessons about God's goodness.) The girls think 'their baby' looks like a gummy bear. I was hoping to scan our black and white ultrasound picture, but it was tightly clutched in the little palm of our favorite two year old so it's pretty crumpled up! wink!
"Now hope in what is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."- Romans8:24b-25

Inside the belly of a whale

Do you know the story of Jonah and the whale? I thought I did... I mean, I knew the beautifully illustrated children's Bible version of it. I have read this Bible story to my girls many times and we even have a cd with a cute song about Jonah. I know that God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to teach the people about His grace, but Jonah disobeyed. In an attempt to run from God, Jonah boarded a ship to sail away from his troubles. Of course the Lord knew exactly where Jonah was hiding, and He sent a terrible storm that sent waves crashing onto the ship. Jonah was sleeping below the deck when the captian woke him up and asked him to pray to his god to protect them in the storm. Jonah confessed to the captain and crew that he was running away from God. Then Jonah told the men to throw him into the sea and the storm would stop.

This is where our children's Bible wraps up the story nice and neat. Jonah falls into the water, he is swallowed by a whale, he lives inside the whale's belly for three days and three nights, and then God tells the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land. Then Jonah obeys God and goes to Ninevah. The end.

Last week, I was reading the story of Jonah in my Bible and I have to admit, I have never heard the whole story! There are some really amazing details of God's love, grace, and mercy that make this story even more incredible!


First of all, the men on the crew of the ship didn't know the Lord. In fact, they were asking Jonah "Who is responsible for this storm? Who is making all this trouble for us?". Jonah got to tell the men about God, and they feared the Lord and they believed. God can use all things, even Jonah's disobedience, to bring Him glory!


Then, when Jonah is swallowed up by the fish, he began to pray. Jonah wasn't trying to find a way to climb up to the whale's spout, or vomiting from the smell of (literally) fish guts... he was praying! He was choosing to praise God, despite his circumstances. "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord."- Jonah 2:8-10 Wow! I was really convicted of the sin of my selfishness while reading Jonah's prayer. How many times have I complained to God when my life has gotten a little stinky? How many times have I made the choice to allow my circumstances dictate my joy? Yikes!

The story continues as Jonah travels to Ninevah, and the people repent of their evil ways. Jonah becomes angry at the Lord for his compassion on these people and then God teaches Jonah another lesson, this time using a plant that provides shade. (You'll have to peek in your Bible to read the ending! wink! That's my challenge for you if you are like me, and you've never read the 'whole' story!)

Below are some pictures of our trip to Washington, DC. The girls didn't come with us, which was the first time we have ever left them over night! We missed them bunches, but we truly enjoyed our time together. We saw lots of the sights and monuments, did lots of walking, ate some yummy food, made some really funny memories, worshipped at a well-known church (Capitol Hill Baptist church), and enjoyed great conversations!




"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."- Proverbs 28:13