The Lives of Wonderers

The sippy cup

2014-11-14T18:12:00.000-06:00

Dear Sippy cup, sitting on the counter filled with yesterdays milk,

Some people would think you are disgusting and turn up their nose at your smell. But I am looking at you through tears of joy and crying from my hearts deepest well! Oh, sippy cup you are a welcome sight, and it is not because of what you hold. It is because of who holds you! You are only a reminder of many messes yet to come, and I cannot contain myself, thinking of them all. While often moms look longingly for counters that are clean, this mom can only look and wish that it was ok to leave you sitting there on my counter, waiting for the little one that you belong too. Though your stink will soon overtake the house, the reminder that you bring is of family and children that are so dear! I will wash you and put you in the cabinet for the 7 days that remain, until that little one come barreling through the door to find a drink one again.

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Last night, we had our last supervised visit. Our children got to come to see our home for the first time. It was special and we all had a great time. This morning when I woke up to a messy kitchen with plate, forks, and cups everywhere from our dinner, I was overjoyed. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true. I looked at it for a minute of two and had to share with all of you the joy and excitement that having more than two plates to wash brought me.

Next week, we have our first weekend visit. We pick up the children Friday night and then return them on Sunday afternoon! It is only 7 days away, but that seems like forever right now! We will let you know how it all goes!

PS~ Moms out there, please don't condemn me for my excitement. I know that it won't always feel this way, but after you have been trying for 3 years to bring children in your home, it is the little things that bring joy!

God-given work

2014-11-09T07:02:00.000-06:00

Over the past month, Brian and I have been searching for a job for him that will show the courts that we have plenty of money coming in and that the money is stable. See, for the last four months, Brian has been working on a business, Kingston Woodwork and Farms (KWF). It has been steady work and we are making enough to meet our budget needs...AND...Brian is able to work from home making signs, building furniture, refinishing wood products, and farming. We have been so blessed by this endeavor that the Lord has laid before us. Because the courts are concerned about the stability of this new business, Brian has gotten a part time job to show them that stability. That hasn't slowed us down at all!!!!

Christmas is coming up and we would love to give you a price on a sign, table, bench, bookshelf, or more! Below are some of our products...just leave a comment, facebook message, call or text to get us started on your quote TODAY!!!

A vanity that Brian refurbished and put
top and legs on.

Our dining room table!

Children

2014-11-07T12:00:00.000-06:00

We are proud to announce that we have been able to visit with our children as their adoptive parents!
They are all very excited! Some are even practicing their new last name. We will be having visits until December and then if everything goes well...they will be placed with us!

The adoption process is just that, a process. We have supervised visits, then weekend visits, then they are placed, then we have a court hearing to make that placement permanent, then we have 6 months of life to live to show that everything is working, and then we start the adoption proceedings. It is a long and frustrating road, but it is so worth it!

PS - Because the children are wards of the state until legally adopted, photos are not allowed on the internet. We will be sharing our beautiful faces as soon as the adoption is final! Please ensure that any photos that might include our children stay private for the time being. Thank you!

Truck religion

2014-11-06T06:21:00.000-06:00

A few days ago, my husband came to me and told me he had sold "his" truck.

While we had been discussing our vehicle situation for months, we had always shied away from selling it because it was the vehicle that my husband had looked high and low for about 6 months. He loved that truck's sound, build, everything...he worked on it...he painted parts of it...he even CLEANED it (which should tell you just how special it really was to him! hehehe).

So naturally, I was flabbergasted when he approached the subject nonchalantly and already had the deal worked out (save running it by his super smart, financially savvy, and extremely charming counterpart! ;) He had made all of the arrangements and the deal was in place, but that is not really the part worth mentioning. It is the reason that he sold his truck.

Because God has called us to adopt a sibling group of 5, it has required a lot of changes to our live. We needed a bigger house, bigger cars (well SUVs or vans), a bigger budget, and so much more. We haven't had a car payment in many years, and with needing a bigger budget, adding one now wasn't really an option. So my husband, humbled himself, gave up something that he had worked years to get, and sold his truck to get us a vehicle that was big enough for 7, dependable for long road trips, and wouldn't break the bank!

God gave man a position over woman, but that position was not for man's benefit. It was for woman's! The command was not that the husband rule over the wife to enslave her and use her, but to cherish her and protect her. Just like we guard our country's most prized relics, man is supposed to guard his precious gift in life, the companion for which he has waited, the flesh that embodies the rib taken by God to create a helper, the "crown" (Proverbs 12) who is "far more precious than jewels (Proverbs 31)...he guards her in glory to his King, honoring the plans for his life, allowing God to determine the importance of possessions and make the decisions.

Now, trust me, my husband does not always live up to this standard, nor am I always the "excellent wife" that Proverbs 12 says is the "crown" of her husband. But in this decision, for this moment, he got it right. He was selfless enough to put aside a societal standard of a man. He sold his truck and has been busy looking for a minivan or an SUV. Neither will allow him access to the deer woods or get him closer to that mud puddle he calls a fishing hole, but it keeps his family safe, allows them to travel, and has room for all of them (plus one more! LOL)

Praise be to our Father from whom all good things come!

Happy Anniversary, Brian!

I love you second only to our Maker, whom you have taught me to love deeper. Life has never turned out the way we thought it would or planned it...it has been better because it has been blessed by the Father who orchestrated it! I love you!

Tomorrow

2014-11-03T20:52:00.000-06:00

In just 15 hours, Brian and I will find out if we are going to become parents 5 times over. Most people will never experience the emotions that simply cannot be expressed with words. Tomorrow at 11:30 am, we will be in a court room fighting for the children that we already feel are ours. These children aren't just names to us, but living, breathing children with personalities that are infectious and resilience that rivals the moon in size! They are brave and strong, but they are tired and weary. They are in need of a home that will love and protect them while they heal and learn about family and God!
We are so excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. We are learning and growing daily from the path that has led us thus far, and cannot imagine what God has for our future. We are praying for the grace to handle the days ahead and the gumption to remember that no matter what is in store...

Because He lives

I can face tomorrow

Because He lives

All fear is gone

Because I know

He holds the future

and life is worth the living

Just because He lives

Thank you for your prayer and support! Stay tuned....We will be sharing our new as soon as we can!

The heart of adoption...a waiting mother's perspective

2014-09-22T21:38:00.000-05:00

I am "blessed" to have many nights that I cannot or do not sleep all the way through. During this time, God has often encouraged me in spending my time wisely. Whether that is catching up on some needed house work or settling into the quiet with only God as my company. On this particular night, however, the children that Brian and I are working to adopt were on my mind. I often have people look at me in disbelief when I tell them that it is hard to have "my" children out there, but not with me. Some question the attachment because we haven't spent time with them or gotten to know them face to face. Others believe that if you focus on "something" else, it won't be as hard on you.

I understand. They don't have a clue. They are speaking from full arms with noise-filled homes. They are trying to encourage and for that I thank them. However, on this night, God would not let me sleep without writing the words that He was providing, so that maybe some might catch a glimpse into the heart of a waiting mother.

My children are out there

How much more can I take

Not knowing exactly where

A home I must quickly make

Ready and waiting

For them to come in

Loving and caring

Each one our new kin

For these very children I pray

O, how my heart yearns

To hold them in my arms one day

The tears my eyes do burn

My children are out there

Not of flesh and bone

Those my body could not bear

God will make my own

Hoping and praying

God sends others their way

Helping and fitting

For their new home always

Calls of mommy and daddy

Are still waiting to be heard

Everything now is ready

This silence feels absurd

My children are out there

O, God, hear my plea

In the world no matter where

Please bring them home to me

Written by Erin Kingston on September 18, 2014 at 1:37 a.m. from 760 Hwy 365 as I wait for my precious 5 to come home to me!

My Friday Fall

2014-08-08T05:24:00.001-05:00

This is Sabari. He is a 10 year old Arabian gelding that was given to us because his previous owner could no longer ride him. He has been the source of much joy and frustration in our house and this past Friday was no different. I must explain that Sabari has been professionally trained and is a very well-behaved horse, or he was about three years ago. Since then, no one has really ridden him at all, but since we have got him in April, Brian and I have been working with him. He can be very moody and stubborn, but he is recalling his training very quickly.

He does great if you are in front of him,
but if you stand behind his head, look
to do a lot of walking...backwards,
sideways, any way so that he can
see you!

On Friday, I put his saddle on him for the first time (well the first time with us)! He did great. He hates his bridle, but we got that on as well. Up onto his back I went without even a side-step from him! He did amazing. Around our back yard we walked and it was turning out to be such a nice break from laying tile in the bathroom…or so I thought!

Brian calls to me to make two more passes and then put him up to get back to work. L Ok, I knew that we had to, but I didn’t want too! Sabari had been doing so well! I finish my first turn without a problem and decide that Sabari needs a little exercise, so I encourage him to pick up the pace. Well, pick up the pace he does! You would have thought we had heard the gun shot for the Belmont because he took off…straight for a T-post! I pulled on his reigns to turn him (oh, did I mention he doesn’t really like his bridle…at all!!!!!). He starts side-stepping, as we are running, and I pull back to reign him in to a stop. He is having none of it and starts to buck, still heading toward the T-post. I decide (because of course there was plenty of time to reason out all of the options on the back of this bucking horse) to dismount before I end up impaled onto the T-post. I slip my right foot out of the stirrup just as Sabari is coming down from bucking and I feel the impact all the way through my spine...talk about pain! Phew…I throw my right leg the rest of the way over and dive off, knocking the wind out of myself.

This was before the "oh, so graceful" 10 out of 10 dive! Doesn't he look good?!

I laid there for no more than a milasecond before I begin to processes the panic in Brian’s voice. I am gasping for my air, but managed to squeak out, “air…knocked…out” and wave my hand to him so that he would know why I wasn’t going to carry on a lengthy conversation with him at the moment. I laid my arm down to my side to rest and touched the cold metal of the T-post. With my arm at my side, elbow bent, I could grasp the T-post that had spooked the horse and propelled me off of the horse. It’s about this time that I feel the need (after having my own little praise service to the Almighty) to get up because of course, someone has to get back on that horse. I pull up on the T-post and my right side feels like I am in prison and someone is grinding a shank into my hip and spine. The pain was intense.

Long story short, here I am on Sunday night in bed blogging when I should be cleaning and finishing the bathrooms floor. Brian took me to the VA Emergency Room that night and, after x-rays, the doctor says that he doesn’t see anything (which worried me because he was supposed to see a hip in those shadows! Come on…a little humor to lighten up the mood here). He told me to rest in bed for the next few days and only do what feels comfortable. The nurse comes in and tells me not to be laying around in bed for the next few days, to go about my routine as normal.

J Truly, one must love the VA! J

So Brian and I have combined the two directions and are trying to listen to my body, which is saying that it needs chocolate and a massage in Hawaii! Seriously, my back and hip hurt extremely badly. However, progress is being made and Brian and I are hopeful that Wednesday will find me up and able to do things on my own. Until then, we are going to be patient and content with the blessings that Christ gave us in such minor injuries!

Life is challenging...take the challenge!

2014-07-17T15:09:00.002-05:00

This past week Brian and I have been on a roller coaster! We are so ready to have the children that we are adopting in our home and to begin a new "normal" of changing diapers, doing homework, running around like crazy, and enjoying the never-ending noise. There are times when I sit in my now extremely large, empty home in silence. I dream of the day that I cannot get quiet anywhere. While I know that most moms would say "enjoy it while you can", I have done my best to be content and enjoy my non-child years. My heart now beats adoption every minute.

For the last few months, I have done my best to quiet that beat. I have told myself that Christ is my portion and to want more is wrong. But God is teaching me a new truth. When He is "giving you the desires of your heart", meaning that He is placing those desires in your heart because He is the One in control of your life, He doesn't require us to put them out of our minds. People tell me to focus on what is in front of me right now and let God handle the rest. While I agree worrying is sinful, I think that God lets us dwell on things yet to come to bring us to an ever fresh awareness of just how much we need Him.

At the beginning of this week, I would have said that life is hard. It is full of opportunities that require waiting and dreams that demand focus and attention. It is a struggle to stay consistent and content with the life that God has put before us. But how can I say that life is hard when we all know that it is a precious gift of God? Life is not hard, but challenging. Our society is pushing us to continually be looking and open to challenge. "Don't back down from a punch!" "America Strong" "Push the limits" Why do we view our Christian walk any different?

I challenge you to take us that cross and ~~walk~~ run daily with Christ. Moms, "be all that you can be" (Army) in your homemaking this week. Dad, "Just do it" (Nike) at work and then come home and do it again, but don't just sit down on the couch and veg while your children and wife beg for your attention! Christian, "Impossible is nothing" (Adidas) because Christ is by our side!

Taking every moment and utilizing every encouragement, live for Christ, dream and strive for dreams this week. Be content with Christ, but not complacent! Work toward the calling that Christ has given you, even if you know that it is months away.

Confidence in the Caller

2014-07-12T12:08:00.001-05:00

When I was younger, my dad would call out to me. “Jump”, he would say, and down I went. No thought of the danger. No concern for what I would encounter should I hit the ground. I wouldn't. Dad was calling, so it was safe. As I grew, I gained more and more confidence in my dad. He was strong, able, and safe. This confidence was big. I would have followed him anywhere he called and done anything he asked. We lived in an area of bluffs my first six years of life. Our family would take walks on those bluffs and dad would walk right up to the cliff’s edge. He would call, “Come here.” Then he would pick me up, turn me upside down, and hang me over the edge. (Yes, even now he thinks he was crazy for doing it!) The view was great, and the rush through your stomach, catching your breath…it was incredible! Why, though, did I know that he wouldn't drop me? Why did I have confidence in him?

Confidence is a prior experience or knowledge of faithfulness by someone. I had confidence in my dad because he had been faithful to keep me safe in the past. However, I didn't place my confidence in the idea or path that he was calling me to. He called and, because I placed confidence in him, I was obedient to his calling.

In life, our confidence cannot be placed in the decisions and callings that Christ directs us too. We can, however, put our confidence in the One doing the calling. Like David said in 1 Samuel 17:34-37,

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!’”

The Bible never says that David had confidence in his calling…he wasn't sure how everything would work out. It doesn't say that he wasn't nervous or scared. Maybe he had got the calling wrong and maybe he wasn't sure what the next step was. On his way down to the battlefield, he might have even second guessed the calling. BUT…he never questioned the Caller. He knew of God’s faithfulness because of his prior experience with the lion and the bear. Those were huge problems and events in his life. At that time, he might have thought that they were the hardest thing he would ever do. Looking back, while staring at Goliath, they probably didn't seem that big. They were confidence builders for his battle. David knew the calling and had confidence in the Caller. He completed his portion of the task, which was to kill Goliath, and then stepped aside as God called others to finish the battle.

We should react no differently when we are feeling called to something. No matter who believes in the calling or who doubts our feelings, we must take that step forward. Knowing that He has been faithful in our prior experiences, we obey the calling with our confidence placed in the Caller.

Food for Thought:

What prior experience gives you confidence in the Caller? What is the Caller pushing you to do to continue building your confidence in Him for those bigger experiences that are coming?

Hello...anyone still out there?

2014-06-25T16:13:00.002-05:00

It has been quite a while since our last blog post. Isn't it crazy how life can get so out of control busy? I think that over the last year we have learned some lessons that will stick with us for life.

To catch you all up with where we are today, the Kingston’s have moved!!! Wait…let me back up.

First, to borrow from Paul Harvey, here is “the rest of the story”….

Brian and I are working on adopting from the state’s foster care system. We began this process last September…yes, as in 10 months ago. :0 Since then, our house has flooded because of an A/C leak (who knew that an A/C could produce enough water to ruin three bedrooms!). We got those repairs done…only to find a house that was going to accommodate the number of children we want. So we moved about 20 minutes away from Conway to a town called Mayflower…

Ahh, I can feel the light bulbs going off with just the mention of the name. Yes, Mayflower was one of the towns effected by the recent tornados in Arkansas. Brian and I were extremely blessed to have only minor damage, but God never brings us to a place for our own plans. The tornado created many opportunities to meet people because we began handing out breakfast to workers, survivors, and helpers, which many of you contributed to…thank you! Those relationships that were formed are being cultivated and Brian and I have gotten the opportunity to share the Gospel several times.

Since the tornado, Brian and I have been working diligently on our home. I have resigned from my position at City of Hope Outreach. It was a hard decision to make. The people that we have met and the relationships that we have formed will be with us forever, but when God directs, we move, no matter how crazy those directions seem to others. We are two bathrooms and one broken window away from having our remodeling done! (We will be posting pictures soon!)

Though this process has been long and hard, God has continued to motivate us with new and unique opportunities. We will be sharing pictures and stories in the weeks to come. Check back soon!

Erin

Letting the Lion out of the cage - By scripture alone

2013-09-11T17:13:00.000-05:00

This article today is driven by my readings in the Westminster shorter catechism. I was reading the second question that is posed which states: What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him forever? and the answer to this question is this: The word of God which is contained in the scriptures of the old and new testaments, is the only rule to direct on us how we may glorify God and enjoy him forever.

This was for me a reminder of how the Lord does not wish to keep his children in the dark about who he is and the might of his glory. We have been given 66 books of the bible which explain of his love for his creation, even when his creation has not loved him in return. As I have read the scriptures I have learned more of myself and my sin, and my hopelessness without Jesus Christ my savior. who is my comforter and my sustainer when I am weak.

I love how in 2 Timothy 3:16 we see that all scripture is God breathed and profitable for doctrine, reproof and teaching, for instruction in righteousness. Again God calling out to his children and explaining why we have been giving these scriptures.

So my challenge to you Christian is that you take up the bible and read and be feed on the milk and meat of the scriptures that you may not become spiritually anorexic, and in need of nourishment. As Gods children will find refuge in the word of God and in nothing else. For we serve a faithful father who cares for us and he has not left us here to blindly fumble around in the darkness of this world, Just as he provided a column of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night for his chosen people Israel in the Old testament he has provided his chosen people of the new covenant with his scriptures that lead us to Jesus Christ.

So next time you find your soul weary and tired of the trials and challenges of this life open the word of life and drink deeply in the promises and warnings of our heavenly Father and rest in his word.

May God Deeply bless
Brian Kingston

Letting the Lion out of Cage- God Is Good

2013-08-23T13:03:00.001-05:00

Today we are going to a look at the Nahum where the prophet is taking us through God's wrath toward the city of Nineveh. Then in verse 7 Nahum says " The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him." I have read this and reread this it blows me away in the midst of telling the people of Nineveh of the coming wrath he takes the time to give a call to those who hear him to repent and take refuge in the almighty. This speaks to God's faithfulness and goodness to his people, which should lead us to worship.
The other side of this is that he is faithful in carrying out the judgment of his wrath on his adversaries, which should also lead us to worship for it shows us he is a just God.
So for us as readers of this text as believers this should lead us to repentance and worship of our God. we need to understand that Christ is the refuge of God, our belief in and relationship with Christ is difference between us and non-believers. when we are in Christ's Righteousness is what frees us from the wrath of God.
For the non-believers it should also lead to repentance for apart from Christ he is exposed to the wrath of God which leads to destruction. The same faithfulness he has to his children he has the same faithfulness in carrying out his judgment on his adversaries. It is important that we define who his adversaries are, they are anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ which exposes them to the wrath of God.
So for me this text leads me to repentance, and worship of my Good, Faithful, Just King My Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture is God's gift to us to reveal him to us more and more of his attributes as we read. For those who read this post I pray that it leads you repentance and worship of our Mighty God.

Sola Deo Gloria
Brian Kingston

Letting the Lion out of the Cage

2013-08-21T10:02:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody! This is Brian and I am going to start putting a biweekly post titled "Letting the Lion out of the cage". This will be a post talking about what scripture says about God's character or namely his attributes that show us his character and purpose for us as his creation. This title comes from a quote from the sermon "The Lover of God's Law Filled with Peace" by Charles Hadden Spurgeon

"The Word of God can take care of itself, and will do so if we preach it, and cease defending it. See you that lion. They have caged him for his preservation; shut him up behind iron bars to secure him from his foes! See how a band of armed men have gathered together to protect the lion. What a clatter they make with their swords and spears! These mighty men are intent upon defending a lion. O fools, and slow of heart! Open that door! Let the lord of the forest come forth free. Who will dare to encounter him? What does he want with your guardian care? Let the pure gospel go forth in all its lion-like majesty, and it will soon clear its own way and ease itself of its adversaries."ve

So my prayer for you all as you read these post is that the gospel will be unleashed on your life as we learn together more and more of this Great King and Lord we serve.

Soli Deo Gloria
Brian Kingston

Lessons from the work

2013-04-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

This past week Brian and I had a woman and her five children stay with us. The mom had plans, but needed a helping hand until she could make them happen. Many people would say that she was a bad parent because she had left herself and her children without a place to stay for an entire week, but she isn't. We all need that hand up sometimes. We make bad choices or life knocks us down, but a lot of us will never admit to the help we so desperately need. This mom was humble enough to ask for help when she needed it. She told me the day before she left, "I'm not the mom I wanna be, but I'm working on it." To me, this is what we are all doing, working on being better within our lives as Christ would see fit. I think that I learned a great lesson in this week, and it will surprise many of you. It is that when you think you are being the biggest blessing to someone else, that God uses the situation or the people in it to teach you. I learn so much from this mother and her children, but more than that, I learned just how much I have to how much I need.

This video is what our room looked like the entire week. We had to empty the closet and clean out the spare room to accommodate all these people. This mess frustrated me and challenged my slightly OCD organizational side all week. As I struggled to gain control of my indignation because I was living in a one bedroom apartment for a week, I realized that though we say everything we have is God's, we don't always mean it deep down. This week I had to give my home back to God. I needed to struggle through the fatigue, financial worry, and self-righteousness in order to see that no matter the sacrifice on my part it will never compare with that of God's. On Easter Sunday, we remember that sacrifice, and it should humble us and create a burning desire within our hearts to do His work.

Sometimes we are called to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel!

Learning to do His work,

Are you working?

2013-03-05T16:26:00.003-06:00

Brian and I have been working at City of Hope Outreach (CoHO) for about a year now. We have had a lot of adventures, but none that I was so prepared for as the latest ministry started by one of the girls that Brian had in a youth group back in his "single" days. (; we don't talk about those dark days before...well...me! LOL) Andrea decided that the teen girls in the community that we work in (Oakwood Village) needed Godly women to mentor them. She felt God was calling her to organize this and she is always incredibly faithful in her work.

We had a girl's retreat to kick off these amazing mentor relationships. We went to a place out in the sticks :) called Glenhaven Youth Ranch. It helps teens that are troubled and they allowed us to us their bunk house for free. They are an amazing ministry...check them out at http://ghyr.org/.

At this ranch, the girls and their mentors learned about God's beauty that he has given them and how that differs from the world's ideas of beauty.

One of the speakers put it like this... Godly Beauty never goes out of style, but worldly "coolness" changes all the time.

Although the speakers were wonderful and the girls seemed to enjoy them, the goal of the retreat was to get the girls together with their mentors to form a relationship. It went great. They did crafts and had Bible application times that the mentors got to know their girls in a whole new way.

The event was a success and all of the relationships are off to a great start.
For your consideration today, Who are you influencing? We all have people that are around us that encouragement. Use those gifts that God has given you and really pour into someone else's life.

Working for Christ,

Time flies...

2013-02-06T10:56:00.002-06:00

I know it again has been forever since my last post but things around here have been nuts. I will tell you about everything, but it's going to take a minute! So instead of putting it all in one really long post, I will try to catch you up over the next few posts.

First, I have to tell you how much God has been working on me in so many areas of my life. He has presented opportunity after opportunity that challenges me in ways I never thought possible. Life has taken so many turns in the last six years. From military to school to married life, God's plan has never made sense until after I have walked through each open door He placed in front of me.

Can't wait to tell you all about them!

Keep reading,

Voting

2012-10-19T15:49:00.003-05:00

I am not the most politically minded, but I do feel like I should know what I am going to be punching on my ballot in November before I walk in the door to do so.

This year Brian had the opportunity to go to a political breakfast, hosted by one of our candidates for senate, Jason Rapert. During this event, Brian was given a lot of information, but one of the best was a newspaper that showed every candidate for the house and senate seats. They had given all the major issues that are most important to the people of America, such as abortion, homeschooling, and marriage. All of this information came from the Family Council. They give the web address, www.arkansasvotersguide.com, as a means for getting more information on the candidates. I know that a lot of my readers aren’t from Arkansas, but this might be a good place to start finding information for your state and your candidate.

A quote from the Family Council says, “Bad politicians are elected by good people who don’t vote.”, but I would go further and say that bad politicians are elected by good people who don’t educate themselves before they vote. November 6^th is coming up and we don’t just need to be praying about the election, but studying and researching the issues and candidates that will be on the ballot.

Here are a few more sites to help:

For those without TV, CNN has the debates online: http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/debates/first-presidential-debate

Family council: http://www.familycouncil.org/

Just a reminder! :)

ABC Dating

2012-10-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

I know it sounds a little childish, but, I think if you will hear me out, you will love it! Brian and I lately have fallen into a pattern of being together, but not spending quality time talking and enjoy each other's company. So I set out to find a solution to our dating needs that fit our budget and time schedule. This is what I found...

You start with the first letter of the alphabet...A (for those of you who were a little slow :)

Find things in your area that start with that letter and plan out your whole date using those things.

Foods, parks, museums, attractions, people to visit, hobbies to perfect, movies to watch...whatever floats your boat or I should say puts fuel in your Airplane!
Here's what Brian and I did on our "A" date:

First, we started out at the Art museum in Little Rock.

I think we should get a bonus for having everything start with an
additional "A" for Arkansas!

Next it was dinner time, so we found an amazing wing place. I know what you are thinking.
"Erin, wings does not start with an A, honey." It was called...

See not just one "A", but two...again!

After our delicious wings, we toured the Arkansas State Capital. It had many amazing facts and it was so fun to just walk hand in hand around such an incredible building.

This was a fun CHEAP date! We only had to buy lunch and yet we spent the entire day together. There was no time limits and nothing to do but talk.

Dating your spouse is important. Life gets busy, so even if it is just a cup of coffee on the couch before bed. Talk. Find out their likes and dislikes again. People change over time and if you don't take that time, you will wake up one day to a stranger laying next to you and have to wonder where the person you married went. But if you take the time to share as life changes both of you, your spouse will always be your best friend and you will grow closer to each other as the years go by. :)

What is your spouses favorite place to watch a movie? In your home, a friends house, a theatre? Find out the little things and ask the silliest questions to get to know your spouse better.

Staying in love with my husband,

King's Club

2012-10-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

So my last post, I told you about how busy CoHO (City of Hope Outreach) keeps Brian and I. I promised you the why and here it is.

Introducing...

King's Club. Brian and I are co-directors of this initiative with another couple. Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, we go out and get the children to play games, teach a Bible lesson, and feed them a snack. A very simple program, but one that has changed many lives and most of them were well over the age of a 6th grader.

This is our Oakwood community bunch...they are changing so fast
and I cannot believe how much they pay attention WHEN THEY ARE TALKING! LOL

Oakwood is a trailer park that CoHO started in and it has grown ever since. These are some of the children that come out to enjoy King's Club. They range in age from K through 6th grade (with the occasional stow-away being 3 or 4 and of course they never want to leave so a few 7th and 8th graders too :)

Jack and Kristy (our co-directors) teaching at Brookside.
We are working our way through the Bible stories. This
was creation! :)

This year we have started within a new community, Brookside. It is across town, but the children know all about us from their Oakwood friends. There is so much work to be done in both communities, but already we have seen God moving. During the last King's Club after the lesson was finish (it was on the fall of man), four children came to adult volunteers with questions. 3 out of those 4 walked away with Jesus as the Lord and Master of their life, and now the work begins. There is so much more than just bring them to Christ. Making disciples and teaching them to grow into Godly men and women, who will take over programs like King's Club, with a heart for the work of God takes time and resources. We are always looking for volunteers, but, for those of you who live too far away, please put us on your prayer list. We need the encouragement and the passion of Jesus to "run and not grow weary" in this work. :)

I have learned so much from these children. They have increased my prayer life, my patience, and my passion to teach the next leaders of our communities and country what right living is all about.

No, we don't just sit on the parachute!

Look around your town or community and find a place to plug in, give of yourself, and watch how much God teaches and encourages you on a daily basis.
If you would like to donate time or resources to CoHO, please email me or visit http://www.cityhopeoutreach.com/ for more details.

Stay busy in His work!

Here is our "busy"ness!

2012-10-09T05:23:00.001-05:00

I know everyone has hectic schedules these days and there is no excuss in this post, but an explanation and detailed description of why Brian and I are SOOOOOO busy! :)

Brian had back surgery in the spring and was unable to keep the job he had because of the probability of re-injury. The Lord had already been working in our hearts though to ready us for this next move.

Brian never went back to work (not because he can't). God led us to join the staff of a non-profit 501(c)3 here in Conway called City of Hope Outreach. This organization seeks to promote holistic community renewal in under resources areas through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Brian goes to work four days a week with them and we find that a lot of our conversations are centered on "work". :) It was a budget decrease for us (Brian doesn't get paid), but we have found that in the will of God His children never lack for necessities. It is an amazing place to be.

Brian and I are King's Club directors, a program that I will explain in my next post! :) (Don't ya love suspense!) We work with children and have learned so much through watching them learn about Jesus and put the pieces of salvation together for themselves through lessons, examples, mentoring, and many other facets.

City of Hope Outreach (CoHO for short) provides tutoring through the Oakwood Learning Academy for grades K through 7th. Our tutors come and help with homework, improve reading skills, and spend time investing in the education of the children in the Oakwood community of Conway.

CoHO has opened a technology center to provide educational programs for adults to help them complete their GED, study job skills, and fill out work applications. We encourage the adults to come to us with idea they have for THEIR community and let us help THEM implement them.

We work to provide counseling services, find financial resources and jobs, and most important encourage them to further their education about Jesus Christ.

Brian and I are sold on this non-profit. We are ready to go to battle on this ground of community renewal through the gospel of Jesus Christ because any other way change is impossible and impermanent.

For more information on CoHO or to donate time or resources to our mission, please email me or visit their website. http://www.cityhopeoutreach.com/

I hope that this post encourages you to find those under resourced areas of your community and begin working to help them find a better tomorrow through Jesus Christ.

God bless,
Erin Kingston

Looking ahead...

2012-07-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

This week Brian and I have been at church camp in Missouri. We had a great time and loved serving the children, sponsors, and our Savior. But more on that later.

Here is a look into the Kingston's coming days:

We are getting more organized. We have a new idea of what this looks like for us and that is being "INTENTIONAL" with every moment that God gives us to glorify Him.

We are working around the house. Cleaning, unpacking, and more, since last week was Church Camp! I have learned that my house will never be my mothers, sisters, aunts, or friends. It will be mine and reflect my habits and priorities. You will find on any given night that I might have dirty clothes piled on the couch, dishes in the sink, or dirt on the floor, but I will be curled up next to my husband, who is playing a video game, working on my laptop. This to me is home, where you are always WELCOMED, but you might have to step over the piled luggage to get in!

We are creating next months lessons for Oakwood South's Kid's Time on Monday nights. I am loving our new structure. Brian and I have been the Kid's Time (really original name right! we are working on it!) for about a month and a half. It is the first ministry that we have worked at together. This alone has been challenging. We are still molding our thoughts and ideas of what this time should look like into one final product, but we are getting there. Brian and I are writing our own curriculum for this time, so the lessons are flexible to the children we have and the topics that come up. It has been GREAT and so EDUCATIONAL!!!!! LOL

We are trying to find ways to improve our house without running to the store first! Thoughts and Ideas are ALWAYS welcome. Brian and I love being home owners, and could use some more great ideas!

Lastly, we are learning that being together doesn't always constitute a date, but spending SPECIAL quality memory making time together. (which is oh so hard as a newly wed couple, I might add!) So we have aired up the bike tires and have it on the schedule to go to the park on Thursday and ride. I can't WAIT!

What do the coming days hold for you?

Any special plans or commitments?

Where does God have you working?

Oakwood South

2012-07-24T21:10:00.001-05:00

What is that? I can hear you all saying...and that's exactly what I wanted to hear!

Brian and I began church hunting just a few weeks before we got married. Since I was moving to Arkansas and he had just finished a home church, we were both ready to begin at a new church as a married couple.

We visited many different churches and denominations, but never really found our niche or felt the Holy Spirit prompting us to get involved, until Oakwood South! We started attending this church in February of 2012 and never left.

This isn't your every day run of the mill church with a steeple and I think that is why Brian and I gravitated towards it.

We meet in a trailer. We all talk, sing, and share during service. (It's ok, Baptist, it's called participatory time and, yes, it is Biblical! ;] LOL) We all sit in service, from newborn to elderly...the family worships together.

These are just a few of the things that are different about us. Our head elder is Gage Jordan, who does an amazing job at teaching and leading. (check out the Jordan Family Blog @ http://www.oneyearinoakwood.blogspot.com) We also have a couple of elders in training. Brian started his elder training about a month ago and is thriving in it.

Our church is more than Sunday morning. It is day in, day out. It is in the muck and mire with others. It is rejoicing with and weeping with. It is at all cost, spreading the gospel, living for Christ life.

Since that fateful service when we made it clear that we were all in, Christ has changed both of us, but that's another post entirely!

Curried Pumpkin Soup

2012-07-24T20:09:00.001-05:00

Do you ever get tired of having to cook the same thing for dinner at least once a month?

I get in a rut and find a rotation of spaghetti, chicken 'n rice, and tacos gets to be so boring! It makes me not want to cook, which leads to us running out at 7:30 at night to get something to eat or whipping up a quick box of macaroni and cheese!

So...I have committed to finding new recipes so that I actually enjoy the adventure of cooking again! This leads me to my post...a new recipe!!

Okay, so don't pay attention to the fact that my bowl
is half gone...just know that it was yummy!

Curried Pumpkin Soup! I know it doesn't sound good, but I had pumpkin and had to try it. It was delicious. Don't take my word for it though. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of chopped onions
dash of chopped celery
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup ham
salt
pepper
garlic

Instructions:
Saute the onions and celery in the butter in a medium size pot. Once tender, add the curry powder. Stir in the flour to the buttermilk and add to the pot with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the ham. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic.

NOTE:
This recipe only makes about 4 or 5 cups once it boils down. For larger families, I would at least double it.

Our Heart and Home: Lilla Rose - Flexi Clip Reveiw and Giveaway

2012-07-06T19:59:00.001-05:00

Our Heart and Home: Lilla Rose - Flexi Clip Reveiw and Giveaway

Check out this interesting, beautiful new hair accessory! I love the pictures!

Erin

The Study.

2012-06-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

This is Brian's study. (I have a desk in here, but there's no telling him that makes it my study too! LOL) We are still working on it, but most of the frames have pictures in them and at least it is a functioning room now. When we first moved in, it was piled with boxes, mostly filled with books.

Check back for details on the interesting blue wall hanging.
It has an amazing story and an even better meaning behind it!

Brian insisted on displaying his signed "Trip Lee" t-shirt. We didn't have room on the wall,
but our futon has a middle section that pulls down so I just put it on there. Look ok?

This room is probably the least done out of what I have already shown you. I like the way it is set up, but need some bookshelve ideas.

This side of the room is my least favorite.
Too much stuff in too little of space! HELP!

What do you think? Any suggestions for this room?