I am so proud of my boys! (And then a few soccer photos from yesterday!)

Today is just one of those days when I just want to shout, "Yea God!" One of those moments when God allows us a glimpse into the work that He is doing in the hearts of our children...

I'll start with Nick... For some reason our neighbor has had a really hard time with Zack and Nick... Maybe she just doesn't like teens, I don't know, but she has been unfairly hard on them. After I got over my mother bear instincts, we decided that we would just keep being nice to her, no matter how she treated us...

Things have been better lately and on Friday, she asked if Nick would finish cutting her backyard for her since she had to go out of town. He agreed but wasn't able to do it until late yesterday because of rain and soccer games...

He got the job done, but then it looked really funny because the part she had cut had already grown a good bit, so today I suggested that Nick take a few minutes and go ahead and cut the part she had already done.

Well, I didn't know it until much later, but not only did he finish the back, he went and cut her front yard too (without being asked!!)!! When she called to find out how much she owed him (she had offered to pay him)... He told her that he would only charge her for the part she had asked him to do, he just wanted to do the rest!

When I told him how proud I was of him, he smiled and said, "Well you said to be kind to her!" Guess what...they really do listen!!

But then I took the kids to dinner and Zack said, "You know how you always tell me that if I just won't participate when the other kids curse or talk about inappropriate things, they'll eventually notice that something is different? Well, they're starting to notice."

Turns out a small group he's in, in one of his classes, finished their assignment and they just started talking... Zack stayed in the group, but he didn't participate in the conversation and at one point one of the seniors said, out of the blue, "You're a big Christian aren't you?" Not big, like big and holier than thou...but big...like it's important to you. Zack just said, "Yeah...I am."

I was so proud of him that the young man noticed... I always love the question, "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I guess Zack got his answer... but I also love that he didn't shy away from answering either!

I also learned tonight that Zack took a bunch of business cards that we have at church for inviting people to church and handed them out at school (about a month ago)...I love that he's not afraid to be identified with his faith!

In Colossians 4:5-6, Paul writes, "⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

I think both of the boys did a great job modeling exactly what Paul is teaching...I have so much to learn from them!

Now...a quick update from yesterday's soccer game...game 2 of State Cup...they won again!! It was so exciting...now they have to win next weekend to go to the next round...it will be a really tough game but it can be done...here are some of my favorite shots from yesterday...the last two are the best of the day!

Way to go guys!! Win again!!