Since my last entry we have had a whirlwind of activity.  So here's the update- what's down with the Campbells (that's my east side of Fort Worth upbringing coming through). 

Jim's great aunt Flora died two weeks ago; she was 95.  Since all of his grandparents were gone by the time he was a little boy, she stepped in to take him to the movies, play checkers, go roller skating, etc.  We made a quick trip to Alabama that week to be with family for the funeral.  Aunt Flora won't soon be forgotten in our house because we now possess the tube pan that she used to make her famous pound cakes, the checker set she and Jim played with, a curious porcelain bowl that looks like a bunch of bananas (that always caught our eye when we went to her house for a visit), and a button collection she kept in a spice rack and would pull out for the girls to play with.

 When we got back, my parents were already here for their weeklong visit.  We had a blast!  We swam in our neighborhood pool, went to the beach, shopped (I miss that most), and toured the fabulous Brevard Zoo (that only takes 2 hours but it is a cool zoo- especially with the new baby giraffe, Stephanie).  Of course, we had the most fun just hanging out at the house with G-ma and Papa. 

Just two days after they left, Jim and I celebrated our 11th anniversary.  Since we now live so close to our honeymoon place, St. Augustine, we thought we'd go up there to spend the night.  With just 3 days notice, we were able to book a room at the same bed and breakfast where we stayed 11 years ago.  Our same room wasn't available, but the room we got was even better and we really enjoyed our short time away from home and the girls.  We went to the beach on Anastasia Island, ate some really good food, walked around historic downtown, and the rest is none of your business! ;)

Here's a parting shot, a sweet moment between sisters which is treasured around here...

Last Sunday night, Pastor Larry was preaching on the Holy Spirit, and at some point in his sermon he gave a definition for "sanctify".  Now I've been in the Sunday school classes and services where words like "holy" and "sanctified" are defined as "set apart", and I know what it means.  But he added a few more words that I may have heard before and not paid attention to- "set apart for God's use". 

Now I'd like to think that I'm beyond the "holier than thou" attitude of my teenage years, but I think I still forget sometimes why exactly it is that God has set me apart.  It's not so that other Christians will notice how righteous I am or so that I can't be touched by the world and it's yuckiness.  For His use- like I might set apart a certain tool for a certain task, clean it up if necessary, so that it will do the job well, not so that I can hang it up and it will look pretty.  Take an iron skillet for example.  Not much for fashion decor.  I've rarely been in a place (and I've been in a few REALLY country places) where iron skillets adorn the walls.  But making a skillet pound cake (mmm...) or  my mother-in-law's Mexican cornbread or some southern-style cubed steak, oh yeah!  Here's the thing about iron skillets, though, for those of you who are even more city-slicker than me- you have to work to keep them usable.  No throwing them in the dishwasher or letting them drip dry in the rack or tossing them in the pots and pans cabinet.  They have to be scrubbed/scoured without the help of much soap, you have to dry every little drop of water off and give them a little coat of oil with a paper towel, and then make sure that none of your freshly washed stainless lids that are a little wet still come into contact with it.  OK, so that last bit is probably something that only I have done, but you get my point.  They're kind of high maintenance for a cooking vessel in the 21st century. 

So am I... I need scrubbing/scouring when the nasty caked on mess of sin gets on me.  I'm thankful that God uses just the right method to clean me- no soap, just Jesus' blood that keeps flowing over me.  God even gives me a nice shiny glow with the oil of His Holy Spirit.  But I'm still not much, nothing very special, until He starts to use me.  That's when- wow!- I can't even explain it- I'm transformed into an incredible tool that can do anything He tells me to put my hand to.

 Last week, when I was whining and complaining about my hard week at VBS (which I was deeply convicted about this Tuesday morning- that's why I took that blog entry down.  If anyone read it, I'm truly sorry!) I was more like a rusty iron skillet- nasty to look at and unusable.  But why would God make me go through that- I mean 9 boys and 6 girls and having to make lesson plans which I hate and bad communication (there I go again, sorry); why would God make me "suffer" like that?  Here's the cool thing- do you know the best way to get an iron skillet clean?  Regular users only do this once a year or so, but to get all the impurities out and make it work even better, they throw it in a fire!  Campfire, fireplace, or if you have to, a really hot oven will work.

 Alright, I'm going to let your brain finish the rest of the metaphor, but I think I've learned my lesson, and I also promise that my blog is not going to turn into a girl's sermon place.  I really intend to use it to catch people up on what's going on in Florida- especially with the girls.  So look for good updates next time and maybe even pictures, too.  And if you're around Melbourne, look for my skillet to be shining brighter when you see me next!