Burnett Family

We had the wonderful opportunity to go to the annual ATI conference in Big Sandy again this year! Our 8th time. This is one of the biggest highlights of our year. It’s kind of a booster for us, and it’s a very encouraging, refreshing week…getting to hear amazing speakers, singing in choir, playing in orchestra, catching up with friends, the Chinese restaurant (tradition), ALERT cadets, and we were all so excited that Caleb got to come down for the last two days! =)

Abbie and Hannah played O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus. It was beautiful! 

Maggie taught Children’s Institute this year for the first time and really enjoyed it!

Hannah was on the COMMIT staff team again. All the COMMIT girls did a presentation at the end for the first time ever (I think) – they sang Be Thou My Vision. 

Benjamin was in ALERT cadets and thoroughly enjoyed it…as usual. How could you not enjoy huge water balloon slingshots and rappelling? ;)

  
I sang in the student choir. :)

Abbie played in the orchestra.

Somehow, we ended up without any pictures of Carinna, but she was there too! Due to being sick on Monday, she wasn’t able to teach CI with Maggie, but attended student sessions and choir instead. Caleb came down on Thursday evening to join us. John-Clay was in CO at the World Changers’ Summit. Mom and Dad worked the Character First! booth and attended sessions.

Probably the message that stood out to us the most was given by David Gibbs who preached on doing the impossible. God doesn’t just call us to do “great things” – He has given us the power by His Spirit to do impossible things! It’s so easy to put God in our human box and forget that He is so ABLE to do beyond what we ask or think. It starts with us asking Him to do the impossible.

Praise the Lord for such a blessed time together as a family!

Charity’s Fun Facts:

What is your favorite snack? Cheez-its or chocolate chips-peanut butter-and molasses-all mixed up!

What is one characteristic of God He has most made known to you this year? "…He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Name five things on your happy list:  Gerber daisies, sunshine, family, volleyball, small town country life.

What is one thing you are really looking forward to the most this next year? The unexpected opportunities that will come

If you could vacation anywhere you’ve never been…for a week, where would it be?  Alaska or way up in the Colorado mountains

Charity! You are such a special part of our family. We love you so much and can’t wait to see what God is going to do in your life in the coming year! He has amazing plans for your life. :) May He fill you with His fullness as you come to know His incredible love more and more. Happy birthday from your fam!!! =D

I am always looking for a way to cook up a bunch of party food,

and thought a Spring tea sounded fun…after lots of planning and

tons of baking, this was the beautiful result. :)

My beautiful family. :)

Picnic Stuffed Eggs                   Asparagus Ham Roll-ups

French Vanilla Cream Puffs       Flavorful Sausage Balls

I really enjoy planning everything to cook, but I do have trouble

narrowing down all my options, and probably end up with too much

food, as you can tell. :)

Aren’t these flowers cute?! Carinna helped with them – I thought

they turned out very fun. :)

Charity was very sweet, and willingly assisted me all day! …well, I guess she WAS a little unsure about peeling the shrimp. ;)

Carinna is making lemon curd, and Mom is working on the decorations. She also spent a lot of time and effort on making the little “signs” you see in each of the dishes. I definitely couldn’t have put all this together without all the help I had!

Chicken Salad Crescents

Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza           Fried Shoestring Carrots

The strawberry scones are a personal recipe, and we served them

with Lemon Curd.

Maggie made the shoestring carrots (I think she enjoyed it?) and several pitched in and did dishes.

Cheez-it Toffee

Lemon Tea Cakes                     Bunny Bait

Skewered Shrimp

Cheesy Corn Bites                   Jalapeno Popper Dip

Yogurt-Covered Raspberries were from Sam’s Club. ;)

If you think we were having fun here, (which we were!) you should’ve seen us afterward playing games for family fun! It wasn’t the games that were so fun, but all the laughing in between that had nothing to do with what we were playing…thanks, Caleb. ;) We sure can have a good time. :D

After 19 (almost 20) years, I’m FINALLY beginning to realize that life is not about me! God didn’t give me life so I could just breath up the air, take up the space, and waste up the time. We are created to bring HIM glory, and it’s a little hard for Him to get the glory if we’re in the way! I have been so used to wanting MY needs met, putting MY priorities at the top of the list, and using others for MY benefit. God has been teaching me to look outward and work on blessing others, learning to serve them, and invest in the people God has placed in my life RIGHT NOW.

None of us know how long we will live, and I would hate to get to the end of my life whether it’s short or long, and regret that I didn’t cherish and enjoy the precious moments God gave me. I don’t want to just push-through and do the next thing, but I want to intentionally put my whole heart into whatever opportunity I’m given. Whether that is preparing another meal, babysitting children, writing a blog post ;), learning go-cart mechanics from my 12 yr. old brother, spending time in prayer and the Word, folding laundry…the list goes on and on.

“…-every experience can be purposeful, meaningful, and significant…It doesn’t happen by adopting a self-focused, short-term, pleasure-seeking attitude, but by learning how to cherish and value the opportunities God gives us in each day.” -The Lost Art of True Beauty -by Leslie Ludy

“Wherever you are, be all there” Jim Elliott

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Cor. 10:31

John-Clay recently showed me this short video on Eternity, by Frances Chan, that really tied in to what God has been stirring in my heart the past couple of months.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6:12

‘Redeem the time, because the days are evil,’  don’t waste your life!

 
Happy spring everyone! Don’t ya’ll just love the weather?! It’s been in the 80’s and higher here!

Well, this kind of weather is just too good to pass up for a picnic, right!? So, Thursday evening our whole family (except Caleb who had work plans =(….) and our Grandma and Grandpa went to the “city” park for supper! The meal was a group effort (and delicious!!!).

 
Charity “deviled” the eggs.

 
Grandma brought the jell-o (just sayin’, my Grandma makes the best jell-o in the entire world!)

 
Hannah did the baked beans.

 
I (Maggie) fried the chicken.

Carinna/Abbie made the oatmeal sandwich cookies, Grandma brought the cupcakes, Charity made sweet tea, and Abbie made the fruit salad.

 
Twins forever!!! <3

Our sweet Grandma!!

 
Abbie and Benj.

 
Calli got to come. (She got her fill of fried chicken along with the rest of us…umm!)

 
=)

Dad and his parents – we are so glad that Grandma and Grandpa joined us!

Bro’s (that pretty well explains it!)

 
Grandma, Grandpa and Hannah…( love the smiles.. =)

 
Charity and Abbie =)

   
Trying to get Calli to go up the steps and down the slide..we finally managed it with a little “chicken bribery”…she slid the whole way down!

Dad on the slide….. (who says you can get too old to do such things?!! not me!!)

Hannah

These swings go so high, they’re SO much fun!! 

 
Well, I hope this post has inspired you to go out and enjoy this lovely weather! (and having a family picnic is a great way to do it!)