Thank You

Yesterday I ran to the mail box, in the freezing cold, half expecting a bill and certainly not expecting what I found. A sweet envelope with bubble letters, a precious note and a large gift enclosed. What a blessing, on so many levels. We love you~ even though we don't know the who ~ we love you.
Merry Christmas~

Found My Center

Yesterday was my first Sunday back at our church. The music was incredible! All of the classic Christmas carols that I have grown up with sang by our beautiful choir. Our pastor's message was amazing. I think it is probably one of the best Christmas messages I have ever heard.

I looked up in the choir and saw the faces of the beautiful women that I have looked up to for some time now, singing and praising Jesus. I felt a whirlwind of activity during the greeting time as everyone rushed around to hug the people they had missed before church started. We were actually~lovingly arguing :)~ over who got to hug next! I LOVE THAT!!! I have missed that.

Mid way through the music and the hugs and the incredibly preaching, I realized that for the first time in a while I felt grounded and centered. This was the first place that I found roots and felt established. Being back among the buzz of love and excitement of everyone being together under one roof, all there for the one purpose of loving and praising Jesus put my restless heart at peace.

One of the things I learned while being in Louisville is that I need a loving community right now. As much as I would love to be on the mission field in China, I am not ready. I need the body of Christ too much at this point in my life. And not just any church body, but this church body.

I have never been more excited to go to church on sunday morning and sunday night than any other time in my life. Feels good.

"To Him be the Glory"

We are home! And in true form we came in with a bang. Moved into one house and 48 hours later moved into another. The first was terrible! The second, perfect !! Thanks to the Lord and my brave husband for always taking such good care of our family. I love him!
Also, Belle Aire welcomed us with open arms and has loved on us non stop!! I almost forgot what that was like. We have been visited by friends and invited over for dinner and really, been saturated with so much support. I love our church family.

There are little things we miss about Louisville, and I definitely miss the friends we made and the community we lived in. But truth be told, this is our home and to me, it is further confirmed by the Lord bringing us back. Louisville is filled with great people and nice churches, but our hearts were restless for our church family. Hindsight is 20/20 right, probably a dumb cliche but still true. We learned so much from our life there, I wouldn't trade it for the world. But I'm glad it's over :)


We will post pictures soon of the house and children. Oh one thing that makes me sad about leaving Louisville, we miss Daniel Patterson! Come see us soon dp!!!!

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen!!" 1 peter 5:10

It's been real...

it's been fun~

but it has not been real fun.

So I guess the reality is, my excitement around leaving Louisville has been a bit juvenile. But I must admit I feel like a little kid at Christmas for sure! I am so excited to go home to a place and church that I love and that truly love our family.

However, I am thankful for our time here at the grand ole' southern seminary. I praise God for the way He has changed and molded us. We have met some interesting and very wonderful people. I feel like we are leaving completely different people than when we arrived. And I am thankful for the Lord's infinite sovereignty and lovingkindess to our family.

I also can not wait to get out of here!!!!!! So thank you Jesus for the next step and thank you to all the friends that blessed us immensely in our time here.

Farewell Louisville!

We Are Going Home!!!

First, my sister in law got married about a month ago and she was beautiful. We were so blessed to be a part of her wedding.





I' m so lucky to have her as my sister in law and now I am looking forward to living in the same city with her!!!
After a year and a half of living here in Louisville, we are going home to Murfreesboro!

Clint has accepted an unofficial, official...? offer to be the singles pastor at Belle Aire. We couldn't be more excited and ready to go home to our church family.

Also, our sweet Aslan accidentally broke our Mac book. So we have no internet currently :( Sorry for the lack of updates. But the boys are getting so big and absolutely precious.

Stating a New Trend...

I love my friend Keva's blog, she and her blogging friends are always doing something fun. She just got tagged by a friend and then tagged a few other friends. The point is to answer a list of questions  and then tag a friend to do the same.

So here I go with something new! And I tag Lisa Moore, Shai and Stephanie because they happen to be three of the most amazing people I know (among a few others :) and I love hearing about them!

1. What time did you get up this morning?

5:21 for just a few and then 7:40

2. Diamonds or pearls?

Both! diamonds on my fingers and usually pearls in my ears :)

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

The Dark Knight (if it makes me a heathen, sad! but it was awesome!)

4. What is your favorite TV show?

I can't afford cable :)

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?

Coffee and what ever is in the pantry at the time.

6. What is your middle name?

 Mercedes

7. What food do you dislike?

cranberry sauce, oysters,  crawfish, brussel sprouts, candied carrots

8. What is your favorite CD at moment?

a CD I made with Hillsong, Nicole Nordeman & Charlie Hall

9. What kind of car do you drive?

KIA Sedona with leather seats, dvd player and sunroof~how is that for a rockin' mini van!

10. Favorite Sandwich? 

Grilled Chicken Sand/Chicken Biscuit from Chik-fil-A (makes me think of Carrie & Ellie)

11. What characteristic do you despise?

condescending/patronising  

12. Favorite item of clothing?

Clint's One Goal pullover fleece

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?

Ireland or Italy

14. Favorite brand of clothing?

Anything on sale

15. Where would you retire to?

Anywhere on the ocean

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?

29~it seems like yesterday I couldn't wait to be 20. and my son's second birthday

17. Favorite sport to watch?

Only because I love me husband.... GATOR FOOTBALL!

18. When is your birthday?

May 31

19. Are you a morning person or night?

night

20. What is your shoe size?

8.5-9.5, just depends on the shoe

21. Pets?

Teboe the Hermit Crab (and I love him!!)

22. Any new and exciting news you would like to share with us???

I'm Pregnant! JUST KIDDING!!! I am currently getting into refinishing wood things

23. What did you want to be when you were little?

a marine biologist. I wanted to study whales

24. How are you today?

a little tired and missing my husband but overall, happy!

25. What is your favorite candy?

Reeces peanut butter eggs

26. What is your favorite flower?

Tulips

27. What is a day on your calendar you ae looking forward to?

October 14~ a job interview for Clint!!! (but don't ask because I can't give details yet:)

28. What is your full name?

Rachel Mercedes (Morgan-maiden) Nadeau

29. What are you listening to right now?

Nody, a PBS cartoon on dvd

30. WHat was the last thing you ate?

Coffee Cake

31. Do you wish on stars?

no but I think they are pretty :)

32. If you were a crayon what color would you be?

Red I think

33. How is the weather right now?

46 and chilly

34. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?

My friend Lindsay, through text.

35.  Favorite soft drink?

always Diet Coke

36. Favorite Restaurant?

thing I'm with Keva, P.F. Changs

37. Real Hair Color?

light brown

38. What was your favorite toy as a child?

first thing that comes to mind, a She-ra doll my dad bought me.

39. Summer or winter?

SUMMER!!!

40. Hugs or kisses?

depends on who from. 

41. Chocolate or vanilla?

ok... that totally depends. ice cream-vanilla, cake-yellow with chocolate icing. unless its store 

bought and then it's buttercream icing. 

42. Coffee or tea?

always coffee

43. When was the last time you cried?

I can't remember! I'm sure it wasn't that long ago, but just can't remember.

44. What is under your bed?

little bit of everything

45. What did you do last night?

cleaned out a closet while watching Moulin Rouge

46. What are you afraid of?

shallow~bees and wasps. deep~not measuring up to the ones I love the most.

47. Salty or sweet?

depends on my mood. but since Aslan I'm a fan of sweets :0

48. How many keys on your key ring?

I think 4

49. How many years at your current job?

2.5 years and going strong~ it's my favorite yet!

50. Favorite day of the week?

Sunday bc Clint is almost always home and you just can't lose with church & family time.

51. How many places have you lived in?

Hunnington, W.V./ Jacksoville, Fl/Nashville & Murfreesboro, Tn/Louisville, KY... so 4 states 

and 5 cities.

52. Do you make friends easy?

honestly, depends on my surroundings. if I'm around other friendly people, yes. if they are yankees, no :) (unless they are Morgans or Zimmermans:)

Is What I Know More Important....

Than Who I am?

"We have all had times on the mount, when we have seen things from God's standpoint and have wanted to stay there. The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have the power to rise only, something is wrong...

We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching,  viz., into character. The mount is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something."   Oswald Chambers

Today I have been thrown into deep thought by these words inspired by Mark 9:2.

Is the bit of knowledge I possess from my few trials made me smarter and wiser to life and certain spiritual truths? Or have they transformed my character, do I look like Jesus? 

Am I full of sunday school answers and no power?

Food for thought.