Smith Family Blog

Draining the pool, but not our FUN!

2008-06-18T10:06:00.001-07:00

Father's Day Pirate Sailing Adventure!

2008-06-16T14:22:00.001-07:00

End of the Season

2008-06-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

This was the first year the boys played baseball and they had such a blast!

Here they are with their trophies! We're looking forward to Winter Ball coming up in September! We'll keep you posted on their progress!

Praising the Lord for all the joy of seeing these two grow up!

Awards Day!

2008-06-12T19:14:00.001-07:00

Praising God for the two He's entrusted to us!

2008-06-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today was Awards Day at Cav & Aidan's school - a day to celebrate the hard work and achievements of all of the students. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there, but Sean was there and sent the following email to me. What a blessing to have such gifted, loving boys (of course I am bias) and a husband so loving and supportive of His family! I praise God for the blessings He so graciously lavishes upon us!!

Note from Sean regarding the Awards Day:
Well, it goes without saying that we have been truly blessed by God with both of our boys. I heard some beautiful things about them today from their teachers and classmates and they are both amazing students and young men. I couldn't have been more proud of both of them today.

Cavan's Christian character trait selected by his teachers was Patience. Funny thing is that's what his classmates voted for him as well for a separate award - Most Patient Classmate. Cavan made the Principal's List (straight As) again for the 4th quarter; correctly spelled 204 challenge words this year (3rd highest in his class); and completed the highest level of Mad Dog Math(tying for first place with his best pal Jonathon).

Aidan's Christian character trait selected by his teacher was Industrious for his passion to just jump right into projects and utilize his problem-solving skills. His teacher commented on how he sticks with a job and completes it using resources provided to him, as well as other resources he finds or creates on his own. It was so great to hear about the great strides he made this year in learning both academics and spiritual truths!

May we continue to be blessed by our sons walking in the paths of wisdom and righteousness in Christ! "The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him." Proverbs 23:24

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T20:42:00.001-07:00

Small Group, Big Blessings!

2008-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to be a part of CBC's Thrive Marrieds Ministry! One of the key facets of the ministry is its commitment to small group time. Small groups enable couples to connect on a deeper level with other Christian couples and most important, they provide encouragement and accountability to apply God's Word to our daily lives. We recently were honored to be able to help start a new group, Group 7! It's such a blessing to be able to serve the Lord and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in this new way! We may be a small group, but we are all experiencing BIG blessings as we seek the Lord together! It's also such a joy to see our children connecting with each other too! The pictures below are from our first small group dinner together! It was definitely a fun night of fellowship and we look forward to continuing to grow together in the Lord! Thank you, Group 7, you are big blessing in our lives and we praise God for you! (1 Thessalonians 3:9)

Group 7's First Small Group Dinner!

2008-03-16T13:40:00.001-07:00

Baseball Opening Day

2008-03-01T15:01:00.001-08:00

Quick Update on Cuba Mission Trip

2008-01-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

We've been blessed to receive two phone calls from Sean so far (both about 3 minutes in length). So in less than six minutes of total discourse, here's the highlights of what the Lord is doing in Cuba ...

On Saturday the team spent the entire day helping with the children's and youth ministry activities, including an evening service for the teens.

Also that day, an older gentleman in the church asked if Pastor Lucas could share the gospel with a neighbor and her sister that he had been witnessing to. So Pastor Lucas and a few members of the team went over to visit her and her sister. Praise the Lord, they both accepted Christ as their Savior!

On Sunday, the team spent the day with the various local house churches and also held a baptism service at the ocean. Sean said it was rainy and windy, but four souls stepped into the chilly waters to be baptized. Praise the Lord for their obedience to Christ's command. That evening, the local house churches were able to gather together to hold a communion service. Sean said about 70 believers crammed into a small building to remember our Lord and sings songs of praise! What a blessing!

You can check out the post below for the plans for the rest of the week ... please continue to pray for the team there and for the local churches that the Lord will edify and strengthen them all as they continue sharing the Good News with all who will hear! God bless you!!

Cuba Itinerary

2008-01-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

Day one and no phone call … every time my cell rings, I jump hoping it’s Sean! I just can’t wait to hear from him!

In fact, I’ve been so preoccupied with wanting to talk to Sean that I completely forgot he left me his itinerary. When I finally remembered tonight, I was thrilled to pour over it and read about their plans for each day. So, I thought it would be fun to post it, so you all will be in the know too! (One thing I should mention, the Cuban government does not allow for church buildings, or gatherings of large groups, that’s why you’ll read “house church” each time it talks about them gathering with the local believers.)

Fri, Jan 18
Arrive in Havana and clear customs. Travel by bus to Playa Santa Maria to get settled at the hotel. Meet with the local pastor and get acquainted with their Cuban hosts.

Sat, Jan 19
The day will be spent with the Children’s and Youth Ministries, along with other ministries. And there will be time for house visitation to church families. In the afternoon, they will participate in a Prayer Walk in Old Havana where they will share their faith with those they encounter. (Interpreters will be with them.) The evening will be spent in worship and praise with a Youth Ministry Service at the main house church in Alamar.

Sun, Jan 20
This will be a busy day with the team splitting up into eight groups, each participating in local house church services. Following these services there will be a baptism service. The day will conclude with some free time in the afternoon followed by a fellowship dinner at the local house church in Alamar, including a Communion Service at evening’s close.

Mon, Jan 21
They will visit the Seminary in Matanzas and then make a visit to Varadero Beach. (According to what I researched online it’s referred to as "the most beautiful beach in the world" because it is nearly 24 miles of sand that looks and feels like white powdered sugar!)

Tues, Jan 22
The mornings and afternoons will be spent with house-to-house visits in Alamar, leadership training and construction work. In the late afternoon, they will be assisting with the children’s ministry at local house churches, and in the evening they will have small group time with local believers to share testimonies and prayer requests.

Wed, Jan 23
This day will be similar to Tuesday with house-to-house visits in downtown Havana, leadership training and construction work. They will have dinner together in downtown Havana in the evening.

Thurs, Jan 24
They will travel to the city of Guanabacaoa with house-to-house visits in the morning. The afternoon and evening will be spent in Havana at the Christ of Havana Statue. Their last night in Cuba will be spent sharing a special meal together in Havana.

Fri, Jan 25
Return home to California.

As soon as I get more details and pictures, I will of course post them. In the meantime, thank you all for your prayers and encouraging emails! This is such an exciting time in Sean’s walk with the Lord and I wish I could be there to share it with him! I prayerfully hope that one day we can travel together with our boys to whatever mission field the Lord calls us!

Go ye into all the world …

2008-01-18T13:47:00.001-08:00

When CBC announced that the church would be organizing a Cuba Missions Trip, I learned something new about my husband … for the last couple of years he’s been experiencing an ever-increasing desire to minister to the people of Cuba.

Okay, we probably do need to talk more … but I think we’ve all held a dream at one point in time that we haven’t shared with others because it doesn’t seem to be a possibility, at least not in our human minds. I suppose this was one of those types of dreams for Sean.

As he shared with me his heart to go to Cuba, I was so overjoyed and desperately wanted to see his dream become reality! We prayed extensively about it and talked about the possibility for many months.

When the day came to put half down for the trip, we prayerfully dipped into our savings and committed. The most blessed part of that leap of faith is the fact that so many dear friends and family came alongside us, helping to fund the rest of the trip.

We really want to thank these loving friends and family with all of our heart for showing their love for the Lord and the people of Cuba by helping Sean to be able to “Go,” as the Lord commands. They are:
• Ryan and Kim Damato (your amazing sacrifice was completely overwhelming!)
• Bill and Gail Campbell (friends and fellow servants on the Bridge ministry)
• Todd and Jennifer Halton (friends and devoted leaders of the Bridge ministry)
• Andy and Martha Smith (Sean’s Dad and StepMom in NJ)
• Art and Nancy King (My Mom and StepDad in MA)

I don’t want to embarrass them, but besides the Lord Himself, these generous, missions-minded individuals are the reason Sean is in Cuba right now – living out his dream to reach the people of Cuba for Christ.

We are praising our loving Heavenly Father for this incredible opportunity, and for the generosity of special friends and family! Please pray for Sean, and the entire Cuban Missions Team, who landed in Havana, Cuba today. And please also pray for the local church there, that together with the CBC Missions Team, they may be effective labors in fields white with harvest!

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." –Matt 9:36-38

Red Wagon

2008-01-16T07:07:00.000-08:00

My Mom was visiting with us last week, so we made a trip to the beach with the boys to spend some funtime together. We were enjoying the first warm day in a couple of weeks – relaxing while the boys played in the sand – when we noticed a woman setting up an easel and her painting supplies some yards off to the right of us.

My Mom who's a very talented amateur painter said to me, "I wonder why she's painting the scenery over here?" (The most beautiful landscape was behind her.) I didn't think much about it, but I guess my Mom was just too curious to let it go. So a couple of hours later, she approached the woman and much to our surprise, she was painting us!

The artist's name is Patti Cliffton and apparently she's a local artist who's paintings are shown in several galleries in Laguna Beach and Newport/Balboa Island. I gave her our email address (on a Compass Bible Church business card, of course) and asked if she would send us a photo of the painting when it was completed.

So here it is! I'm really hoping to get a giclee of the painting so we can treasure this special moment in time that's been so beautifully captured on canvas. It's always such a joy to have visual reminders of the special moments you've shared with family and friends!

Fishing Trip on New Year's Eve

2008-01-01T15:04:00.001-08:00

Just a cup of water in His Name …

2007-12-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

This past summer, I was about to go to the grocery store and a thought popped into my head that I should take a bottle of water with me. So I grabbed an Arrowhead out of the frig and put it in my car as I headed out.

As I approached the shopping plaza, I saw a homeless woman standing at the entrance. The sign she held read, “disabled and without work, please help!” I grabbed a pocket testament and floundered through my purse for some cash, but there wasn’t any! I was really bummed because I thought for sure I had some money in there.

Just then a thought popped into my head … it’s so hot today, I should just give her my water. So as I pulled up near her, I rolled down my window and leaned out. I said, “I’m so sorry, I have no money on me today, but I want to give you some water and want you to know that I will pray for you!”

As I handed her the water bottle and pocket testament, a big smile appeared on her face and she said something that completely touched my heart … “Oh thank you, honey! I was just praying to the Lord for some water and He heard my prayer! God bless you!”

The cars behind me were losing patience and I had to pull away. My eyes filled with tears and I couldn’t stop thinking about her and praising God for allowing me to be the instrument He used to answer her prayer.

Fast forward to December … I was talking about this experience with a co-worker and how it was such a blessing to be an instrument of the Lord’s. A few hours later, I left work to pick up my boys. For some reason, they begged me for ice cream the whole drive home, even though it’s 50 degrees outside … please, please, please … I caved and instead of going to our usual soft-serve place, I headed in the opposite direction to go get the real thing. And guess who I saw at the entrance of the Baskin Robbins shopping plaza, it was her again.

As I stopped next to her and before I could even say more than a hi, she said, “I know you ...” I was almost speechless since so much time had passed since our first encounter. She told me her name, Dottie, and we talked very briefly.

Later, while the boys and I ate our ice creams, we talked about Dottie and prayed for her. Then, we popped into the grocery store next door to get Dottie a gift certificate. When we drove back over to her, we wished her a very Merry Christmas and let her know that we would continue to pray for her!

Now, if you’re thinking, how nice that you all could be such a blessing to her, I want to tell you something … that sweet little Dottie has blessed me and the boys more than we could ever bless her! She has taught us how much the Lord loves – how He will meet the needs of those who seek His face!

What an incredible gift from God to experience the blessing of giving to others in the name of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ! Praise be to God for His love, mercy and grace!

The remodeling of a heart!

2007-12-19T14:04:00.001-08:00

Picture: The boys decorating Christmas cookies in our new kitchen!

About a year ago, Sean and I undertook one of the most ambitious remodeling projects that a homeowner can experience – the complete overhaul of our kitchen, living room and downstairs bathroom.

If you’ve ever been through a major remodel of your own, then you can relate to how it can totally take over your life – turning it completely upside down as you try to go about your daily routine without the everyday conveniences you’ve become so accustomed to! (Besides the fact that your home turns into a demolished den of complete disarray, which can be extremely disconcerting for a clean-freak like me!)

For example, during our remodel, instead of a kitchen sink or a dishwasher to wash our dishes in, we did dishes via our garden hose or bathtub. And my favorite part of the five-month-long remodel was cooking our meals in the garage. We set up a little makeshift kitchen complete with an electric griddle, toaster oven and microwave. Virtually every meal was like having my own Food Network TV show with the neighbors as my viewing audience.

Not that I’m complaining, it was actually quite an adventure! And it truly has been such a blessing to be able to upgrade our home!

The point here is that living through a major remodel, while keeping your sense of humor and peace of mind, takes more than just a willingness to spend a few bucks (or much to our dismay, a lot of bucks). It also means being willing to forgo your comfort zone for however long it takes to achieve the desired goal!

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the whole experience of our home remodel last year and how we put ourselves completely through the wringer for it, both financially and emotionally. Our family lived through nearly five months of chaos and construction in order to achieve a newer, more updated “comfort zone.”

And the convicting thought that keeps popping into my mind is … How willing am I to submit to a continual remodel of my heart? Am I willing to commit the same level of fortitude to allowing God through the power of the Holy Spirit to remodel my heart, mind and soul? As a new creation in Christ, shouldn’t I yearn daily to become more and more conformed to His image?

Recently, I’ve been experiencing a series of major spiritual overhauls, initiated by the Grand Architect – Almighty God Creator of all and Sustainer of all! He is working on me with the jackhammer of His Word and the convicting prompts of His spiritual foreman, the Holy Spirit, who is directing me to toss out all the garbage to make even more room for the One True Carpenter, who I pray will continue to remodel me to conform more and more to His image and to His service.

My apologies for all the clichéd remodeling analogies here, but they seem to help make the point that when we take heed of the Word of God and allow the Spirit to go to work in our hearts and lives – to do something new and different that pushes us to that next level of spiritual growth – it is an amazing experience that not only blesses us, but enables us to bring greater glory and honor to the Father and Son!

And by no means am I a seasoned expert on spiritual remodeling – it’s definitely a new experience, and I especially want to make the point that it’s absolutely, without a doubt, the exclusive work of the Lord and not something we can ever achieve on our own!

God’s word is clear about the fact that we can do nothing of ourselves to stand justified before God (Titus 3:4-7). The truth is salvation comes only through the perfect work of Christ – He alone saves – it is through His sinless life and the atoning sacrifice of His precious blood that we are washed from sin and made pure and holy before God. This is not accomplished through any good deed on our part, but is the sole work of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

When we come to God in repentance and faith – putting our trust in His Son as the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) – He will make us a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). And it’s at that point in our lives that the spiritual remodeling begins and continues within us as we submit to the Holy Spirit and to the Living Word of God.

Outside of the joy that comes from receiving the free gift of salvation through Christ, I believe that the continual spiritual remodeling that takes place in the hearts of the believer is one of the greatest blessings and honors of living the Christian life.

So, Lord, we pray, let the remodeling begin in those who are ready to receive Christ, and let it continue in the hearts of all believers as the Spirit works to conform us more and more into His image each day! For we know that when your work is complete within us, we will stand glorified for all eternity through the power, grace, love and mercy of your Almighty Hand!

Counting our blessings!

2007-12-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

This year, we decided to save a few trees, and some time, by posting a note to our blog, rather than including a family letter in our Christmas cards.

2007 has been another extraordinary year of the Lord blessing us and drawing us closer to Him! So please allow us to count our blessings with you, and share how wonderful the Lord has been in drawing us closer to Him this year!

First, we truly give thanks to the Lord for bringing Sean through all of his health issues this past summer and proving that no matter what our fears or anxieties are, our Almighty Lord will hold us close and sustain us! We are especially thankful to God that He has seen fit to bless Sean with returned health and has restored his ability to enjoy the sport he loves – cycling! We are also thankful for the opportunity the Lord is giving Sean to serve in an upcoming mission trip to Cuba in January. We pray that God will grant him, and all of the others traveling, safety and success in sharing His Word throughout Cuba!

Another blessing we are so thankful to God for is His gracious answer to our prayers in enabling me (Kelly) to change my work hours this year! Because of His gracious kindness, I am now able to pick up Cavan and Aidan right after school. The Lord is so loving in meeting even the smallest of our needs! This change has made such a difference in our home and has brought us all closer together as a family, and has provided so much more time for us to serve each other and the Lord!

And now for the boys … Cavan – How can we thank the Lord enough for this extremely intelligent boy who has such a love for learning and such a heart for applying the truth of God’s Word! Cav continues to excel in school and enjoys all things related to math, science and engineering. He loves to build intricately designed structures with Legos and has a fascination with computers. Our prayer for Cavan is that the Lord will continue to add to his knowledge, a deep and abiding love for Him, so that his love for the Lord becomes the source of application for all he learns.

Aidan – Again, how can we thank the Lord enough for entrusting us with this witty, intelligent and highly motivated boy who has such a zeal for life and such a strong desire to lead others! Aidan has been flourishing in the Jr. Kindergarten program at SB this year, and has amazed us with his eagerness to learn! Aidan continues to love dramatic play (i.e. dressing up as hero-types such as police officers, fire fighters, military officers, etc.). And like his brother, he also loves to build with Legos. Our prayer for Aidan is that God will continue to grow within him a heart on fire with love for the Lord, so that his motivation in leading others will be firmly grounded in a deep desire to bring many souls to Christ.

And in counting our blessings, we of course thank the Lord for YOU! Our dear friends and family – we love you all so much and pray that the Lord will continue to use us daily to serve you and glorify Him in all we do!

May your Christmas be filled with joy and thanksgiving for the greatest gift ever given – eternal life through Christ Jesus the Lord.
Love and hugs, Sean, Kel, Cavan and Aidan

A helping hand with prayer!

2007-12-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

We’d heard about the five-finger prayer, but had never actually seen it spelled out until recently when my Mom shared it with us through a forwarded email.

Many people use this method to teach children how to pray, but it’s just as "handy" for adults too.

So without further adieu, here it is …

The Five-Finger Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.”

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, preachers, physicians and counselors. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. So please keep them in your prayers!

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us to pray for our leaders. Pray for the president and all the leaders in our government, business industries and, of course, the church. Our government and business leaders are shape our nation and guide public opinion. And our church leaders shepherd the flock of the Lord. Each of these leaders needs God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trials or in pain. They need our prayers day and night. We cannot pray too much for them!

5. And last is our little finger - the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you’ve prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

May the five-finger prayer inspire us today and always to pray without ceasing for all those we know, love and who influence our lives.

God be with you and bless you!

Birthday FUN!

2007-11-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

Cavan recently celebrated his eighth birthday with a sleep over with three good friends! The highlight of the evening was our time “jumping” and “jamming” at a local fun palace for kids. So after all the fun of running around, climbing on every apparatus, throwing and shooting each other with rubber balls, and playing electronic dodge ball, you’d think they’d be pretty worn out when we got home, right?

Of course not, we’re talking about healthy high-energy boys here! In fact, they were so ready for more action that they declined my offer to stop for ice cream, and instead wanted to head straight home to open presents and play! So the fun continued and we had a great evening of Lego-building, car racing (Lego cars that is) and of course, the evening wouldn’t have been complete without the viewing of the all-time classic sci-fi flick, Star Wars!

The next morning I spent most of my time next to the toaster oven where I cooked, no joke, 20 waffles between the five of them! I started thinking about how we’ll probably need to get second jobs to pay for groceries come the teen years -- haha!!

The best part of the celebration was being able to worship the Lord together that morning and see the boys having such a great time singing praises to the Lord and learning more about God's Will for our lives.

We praise God for the “joys of boys” and are so grateful to Him for entrusting us with two sweet and loving guys – Cavan and Aidan! Happy birthday, Cav, you are a precious gift from God!! We love you, Mom and Dad!

Lots of treats!!!

2007-11-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time at this year's Fall Festival! The event, hosted by Compass Bible Church, featured games, rides and of course, TONS OF CANDY! Everything was free, including dinner! (It's an annual outreach CBC does for the community as a fun and safe Halloween alternative.)

As you can see the theme for the boys this year was Star Wars. Cavan dressed as a "clone tropper" and Aidan was the infamous Darth Vader. They truly enjoyed the evening, as did Sean who was so "pumped up" that we had to keep him away from all forms of sugar! Yes, I was a party-pooper and just came as myself - working Mom! Oh well, there's always next year, right?

Fires bring to mind our eternal treasure in Christ Jesus!

2007-10-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

We’ve received many calls from concerned family and friends about the wild fires going on right now in California. First, we want to assure you that we are okay. Other than smoke and ash creating poor air quality, we cannot not complain, but instead give praise to God for sparing us from this tragic situation.

Many are without homes here in Southern California (including some of our own friends) – either because they have been evacuated due to the danger of the rapidly spreading flames, or due to actually losing their homes to the fires.

We implore you to pray for these families that the Lord will use this situation to draw us all nearer to Him!

One thing we know for certain is this: All of the earthly possessions we have will be consumed someday, God’s Word is clear that we cannot carry any of it with us into eternity. But when we come to the Father through the Son and live our lives for Him, He tells us how we can store up Heavenly treasures that will be ours for all eternity (Matthew 6: 19-20).

At this time of great loss, may we focus on serving each other through prayer and practical acts of loving kindness, and may we also be inspired to keep a light touch on our earthly possessions, and instead strive to do the Will of the Father that leads to eternal life!

Praise the Lord for His saving grace!

2007-10-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. –Ephesians 2:8-10

What a joy it was this weekend for us to obey the Savior Jesus Christ in His command to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

Some of you might be wondering why we were baptized this weekend? It’s true that we had been walking many years as professed Christians – and as noble as our intentions were – the humbling truth is, we weren’t in Christ!

We had been walking all that time with a “to do list” faith, which is really no faith at all! We acted like we could somehow earn our salvation by the good deeds that we did for the Lord. We believed that our works not only contributed to our salvation, but also kept it secure before God.

Sadly, we aren’t alone in this false mindset. Many are misled into believing that it is good works that contribute to salvation, but that is not what God’s Word says, regardless of what men want to believe or impose.

God’s word is clear that good deeds are the result of a changed life – they are in fact the evidence of our renewal and regeneration as a “new creation in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Good works are not the basis for earning salvation (Ephesians 2:8, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Titus 3:4-7) or for keeping it (Philippians 1:6, John 6:37).

The truth is salvation comes only through the perfect work of Christ – He alone saves – it is through His sinless life and the atoning sacrifice of His precious blood that we are washed from sin and made pure and holy before God. This is not accomplished through any good deed on our part, but is the sole work of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. When we come to God in full repentance and faith in His Son Jesus Christ – trusting that He alone saves – it is at that point that we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing salvation.

As God’s Word states above (Eph 2) good works are not what save a man or keep him saved, they are the natural outpouring of a saved person. In other words, the evidence of our salvation is apparent in the “new life” we have in Christ that compels us to do good works and walk with Him.

Our testimony is this: When the Lord brought us to our knees in repentance, and we surrendered fully to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, it was then that we were filled with the Holy Spirit of the Living God, who compels us now to walk daily in the light as He is in the light (I John 1:6-7). We praise Almighty God for His mercy and grace! And we celebrate the new creation He has made us through His Son Jesus Christ!

Our prayer is that each person who reads this will fully surrender to Him in repentance and faith and be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:14-21). May God bless you with a humble heart and may you hearken His voice as He calls you to Him!

Family traditions: Building memories to last a lifetime!

2007-10-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

When you look back on your childhood, what is it that you fondly remember? Most likely, it’s the traditions that you and your family shared – joyful times together that strengthened your bond as a family, and served to build lasting memories that will be replayed over and over again at family gatherings now and in the years to come.

The importance of building family traditions is not a human concept. God our Heavenly Father established traditions and celebrations so His children would recall His love, mercy and favor throughout generations. From the Passover Feast to the Lord’s Supper, we could devote an entire blog just talking about how the Lord has used and continues to use tradition and celebrations to bring to mind His Sovereign love for His children.

Bringing it back down to a human level, one of our favorite traditions each year is to visit family in New Jersey for Thanksgiving. It is such a blessed time of reconnection and celebration! We almost always spend the week with Sean’s dad Andy and stepmom Martha (we use the term “stepmom” here for clarifying purposes only, because she is “mom” to us).

And so we are eagerly anticipating another fun and memorable time together this Fall as we head out in just a few more weeks to see them! We are praying that the Lord will not only use this time to build lasting memories, but of even greater importance, that He will use this time to draw us all closer to Him!

Some of our favorite “annual NJ vacation traditions” are to visit the local cider mill, which presses newly harvested apples right there on the premises to create the most delicious, fresh hot apple cider you’ve ever tasted! Aidan, our resident donut connoisseur, particularly adores the apple cider donuts they bake – the smell is intoxicating and you dare not take a bite, because even if you are not a donut fan, you won’t be able to stop yourself from devouring one in seconds!

Another fun and exciting day is when we take the commuter train into New York City. The train ride is a much-anticipated event, and the boys enjoy it just about as much as our time in the city! Throughout the years, we’ve been blessed to see so much of NYC and always find it completely fascinating!

The town Sean’s folks live in is equally entrancing – a beautiful little antique town full of quaint family-run shops, boutiques and restaurants. If you are into cottage-style living, then Chester, is definitely worth a visit the next time you’re in NJ! One of my very favorites is Sally Lunn’s Tea Shop. This charming restaurant/gift shop is run by a Brit who knows how to serve up a delightful afternoon tea, which patrons enjoy while surrounded by shelves full of the most beautiful china and tea service accessories you can imagine!

At some point during our time in Chester, my mom Nancy and stepdad Art drive down from MA to visit us as well, and we all have such a great time together! It’s such a blessing when families can connect so well and love each other as the Lord commands! We thank the Lord for our families who love each other and extend such warm hospitality! All of this reminiscing makes me think about what a true treasure God has blessed us with in providing families to love! Building memories together is one of the bonds that we can all share to strengthen our love and commitment to each other! And of course, nothing can deepen the ties that bind, like having the Lord at the very center of your life!

We pray this fall will bring you and your families many wonderful memories together and that the Lord will be the foundation of every memory you cherish! Love and blessings, kel

Praise YOU, O Sovereign Lord God!

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Fix my eyes, O Lord, on YOU and YOU ALONE!
Guard my heart, my soul and my mind!

Do not let me again be deceived by the guile of the evil one. Help me to see Your Kingdom ever before me, and fill my heart with desire only for YOU!

YOU were there to rescue you me, O Lord, when I could not see the evil of my ways, nor the blood stained path of righteousness Your Son tread on my behalf.

But YOU, O Lord, lifted the veil of death and opened my eyes! YOU laid bare all my sins before me and cast away all ignorance through the light of your Holy Word.

The blood of your Son was indeed shed for me, for my iniquities are great before YOU!

O Merciful Father, grant me the peace of forgiveness through the power of Your Son’s Cleansing Blood.

Remove my sins as far as the East is from the West, and give me the faith to trust in His Righteousness and not my own.

YOU, Almighty God and Creator are greater than all! Who can fathom the power and mighty works of Your Hands? Who can understand the depths of Your Love?

I am but dirt, and yet YOU love me! I am but dirt, and yet you forgive and redeem!

Praise YOU, O Sovereign Lord God, Creator, Redeemer and Heavenly Father! I will sing songs of praise and tell all of your eternal love and salvation for those who seek your face! Amen!
–Kelly Smith, Oct 2007

Back to School!

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We know it’s only been a few weeks, but we wanted to share with you all that it’s been such a wonderful BLESSING to have both boys at the same school this year!

Praise the Lord for His provision in making it a reality! We wish you all could see the kids’ reaction to “back to school!” They are so jazzed about being at the same school together and about my new work schedule – I am really jazzed about it too!

Sean takes them to school each morning (which they love!) and then I pick them up every day now when school ends. When we get home, we can hardly contain ourselves – having all this extra time is a like a dream come true! ha ha!!!

Seriously though, we have so much more time to get everyone’s homework done (including mine – ha ha!) and are able to spend more time together as a family each evening. What a blessing!

We look forward to a blessed year of growing in knowledge about the world in which we live, and more importantly in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! With love, kel

Fall + Smith boys = SOCCER!

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Fall is here and at the Smith house that means it’s SOCCER TIME – every Friday afternoon and Saturday from now through Thanksgiving we’ll be on the field!

This is a milestone year for Golden Boy Aidan Smith, who not only learned to ride his bike without training wheels this summer, graduated preschool, turned FIVE (a big deal according to preschoolers), and started “real” school – but now he’s also eligible to play AYSO soccer!!

Armed with cleats, a sleek new uniform and unbounded energy, Aidan is tearing up the field for his team! In fact, he was surprised by the amount of running involved in soccer and asked the coach after the first quarter, “when is it break time?” (My thoughts exactly when it comes to exercise!) But he is having a great time, and we look forward to seeing him grow during his first year playing soccer!

Cavan’s team includes three of his schoolmates, which is fun! This year, they will be learning to play each position on the field. At his first game, Cavan played goalie the entire first half and made six awesome saves! At that few games, he's played mid-field and has been really on fire. He continues to make some really good plays to help his team, and seems to be enjoying soccer even more this year!

It is such a blessing to see both boys playing with such enthusiasm! We look forward to a great season!

Funny Kidz Speak

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We’ve all personally experienced, or heard tales about, the hilarious things that kids say. I thought it would be fun to share with you all some of the funny things that come “out of the mouths of babes,” either mine, or your kids! Feel free to email me when your child says something that stops you in your tracks and gives you a good laugh.

Here’s one from Cavan, I thought I’d share …
In response to finding out (according to his friend Jessica) that all 5th graders have one hour of homework each night, Cavan replied, “I sure hope Jesus comes back before I get to 5th grade!” We’re pretty sure that’s not what the Lord was thinking about when he said to pray “thy Kingdom come” (Matt 6:10). But it sure did give us all a big laugh and it’s a blessing to know that Cavan is thinking about the Lord’s return!

What is FAITH?

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Here’s a simple acrostic definition for “faith” that we thought we’d share with you. It can be a very helpful phrase when sharing the message of salvation with others:
F orsaking
A ll
I
T rust in
H im alone!

Sharing the Good News!

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What greater gift is there than the gift of salvation – eternal life with the Lord God Almighty through His Son Jesus Christ?

If you haven’t yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please skip this article and move right on over to the white box at right: “The Good News!”

If you have accepted the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus, then you well know that the Lord commissions us to in turn implore others to be reconciled to Him (2 Cor 5:18-21).

So we wanted to share with you two wonderful resources for sharing your faith. The first is the Pocket Testament. It’s the Book of John, pocket size, and includes a brief message about salvation. It’s an easy-to-use resource to spark a conversation about salvation with both acquaintances and strangers alike. And just as God’s grace is a free gift, so are the pocket testaments – they are free via online ordering.

Another great resource is Ray Comfort’s book “What Did Jesus Do?” – focusing on how Jesus and the apostles used the Law (Ten Commandments) as the starting point to convict men/women about the reality of sin in their own lives and God’s response to it as a Holy and Just God.

So why did Jesus and the apostles use the Law before sharing the message of salvation? The answer is simple … in order for people to rightly understand and respond to the Good News – to call on the Lord to be saved – people have to understand what they are being saved from!

Ask anyone if they think they are a good person and you will be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn’t respond with a “yes.” Most people do not understand sin and the fact that it separates mankind from God. Moreover, most people do not understand God is perfectly just and that He must therefore punish all sin. In other words, God doesn’t grade on a sliding scale, despite the fact that most people are deluded into thinking that he does (i.e. if they do more good than bad, they will go to Heaven).

A good analogy: Looking out the window of your house, you see that a neighbor’s home is on fire. You can see the flames engulfing their home. You know that if they do not get out of the house immediately they will die. Do you call them up and try to persuade them to come on over to your house because it’s more comfortable and enjoyable at your place? Or do you run to their house banging on their door to tell them that their house is on fire and they are going to die unless they get out. In which situation would they best understand their need to be saved, and therefore be more willing to receive it (salvation)?

If we as Christ’s ambassadors do not tell people that “their house is on fire” (they are under the wrath of God because of their sin) and instead spend all our time telling unbelievers about all of the perks of “coming over to our place” (i.e. the benefits of being a Christian), how will they see the fire looming before them and their dire need for salvation?

Ray’s message is a simple, yet profound summation of the numerous examples presented by Christ and the apostles throughout Scripture – “give grace to the humble” (share the Gospel message of salvation with those who are already convicted of sin) and “give the law to the proud” (first share God’s holy standard of righteousness with those who think they are “good,” imploring them to realize that their good deeds cannot reconcile them to God. Only then will the Good News have real personal meaning to them).

We hope these two resources will fill you with the knowledge and zeal to share the Good News with every person the Lord provides you with opportunity! (Romans 1:16)