pictures and gifts...

I'm thinking I would like to share more family photos, especially considering I'm so terrible about sending my dear family photos of our boys.  Would you like a chuckle (well, I hope you'll chuckle)--last week I sent 2 boxes, one to my mom and grandma, the other to my dad and stepmom.  The contents of those boxes:  Mother's Day gifts, Birthday gifts (you know, for May AND January) AND the best part...CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR 2009!  Yes, so sad I know!  How many times I say, I am a work in progress!  As always, I am reminded though, my God is good and so much bigger than me and my many faults and short comings.

Praise Him, He really does care for my heart and my desire to grow.  No matter what, I am precious and worthy in Him.  Not because I am fabulously organized or consistently on time.  Not because my house is immaculate, the laundry is always done and put away or the house is free of clutter.  And not because my family's meals consist of wholesome, organic, home-cooked foods, and their days always end with showers, devotionals and story time.  These things are what I am working on and my heart's desire to be the norm in our household (and majority of it is hard let me tell ya!)  I have failed at many things, and I will continue to.  But I must listen to my Heavenly Father knowing He is my creator and He does not make mistakes.  He has given me all I need IN HIM.  Seeking to accomplish these things on my own is futile but with Him...the sky's the limit!  Amen!  I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me (and so can you.)

1 Peter 4:11 (New International Version)

¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Well, onto the pictures...Praying all is well with you!

mama and her boys

the big brothers with the littlest brother (now I might be partial but I think they might be the best big brothers in the whole world!)  ;)..and yes, these are older pictures!

His "love notes"

Goodness gracious!  Here I am again, 15 minutes until midnight and writing a post!  I must be getting older because it seems I keep catching a cat nap around 9'ish (on the couch, chair, nursing little one...) and then I get my second wind!  Now of course I must admit I very much enjoy this quiet time, and the thought of a lovely cup of decaf right now is very tempting...hmmm (at least I'm getting wise in my old age and not making regular!)

Let me share (side note-still thinking, do I make the coffee or not) what a beautiful day at church we had yesterday!  We had a "Rally Day" which consisted of a beautiful breakfast (which my sweet hubby cooked  over 8 pounds of meat for-nothing like some bacon and sausage---ohh, if only we had had some biscuits and gravy...oh how I love the South :))  The day was to kick off the Fall season for Sunday school-it was lovely!

So yes, as much as I enjoy meals, that's not what was amazing (though it was pretty high up there!)  We were blessed to have worship led by John Waller and his wife, Josee (read here about them).  I believe I've mentioned it here before but if there is something I miss about our last church it is the worship.  I love music, I love how the Lord ministers to us, how it stirs my soul, how when our eyes close and our hearts hear His word, we praise Him, hands raised, spirits filled...oh, it can leave you speechless can't it!

We are blessed by our church here so please don't get me wrong, just a different type of church and more importantly an entirely different culture (South to New England...very different..and quiet :) )

This dear man and his wife sang blessings over the men and then over the women and then asked everyone to raise their hands to Heaven and follow him in song.  All hands raised in the church!  It was precious, precious, precious!  We were then blessed by a message given by a missionary who, along with his wife translate the Bible into over 24 native languages!  Can you imagine the gift this is?

The Spirit was moving...

The Lord reminded me, especially as of lately, that He is right here, big and mighty, I just need to pay attention.  Though we don't have the large worship band here (we are truly blessed by the one we do have) I have seen more professional artists in our sweet little church then ever in my life.  I am amazed by this, but our precious Father is not.  He sends us "love notes" in all places, a sweet song, a call from a friend, a bird's song over an entry way, the vibrant color of Spring flowers or Autumn leaves, a hug from a little one, a surprise meal and even the quiet with a good cup of coffee.

Let us not miss Him.  Our day should begin, end and be filled with Him and His Word-it truly is a gift from God--the creator of the Universe, the Creator of Life!  This is humbling and full of His grace and mercy.

Praising Him :)

life...a sweet gift to us (acorns growing at the park)

Psalm 66


 ¹ Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
 ² Sing the glory of his name;
       make his praise glorious!
 ³ Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
       So great is your power
       that your enemies cringe before you.
 ⁴ All the earth bows down to you;
       they sing praise to you,
       they sing praise to your name."
       Selah
 ⁵ Come and see what God has done,
       how awesome his works in man's behalf!
 ⁶ He turned the sea into dry land,
       they passed through the waters on foot—
       come, let us rejoice in him.
 ⁷ He rules forever by his power,
       his eyes watch the nations—
       let not the rebellious rise up against him.
       Selah
 ⁸ Praise our God, O peoples,
       let the sound of his praise be heard;
 ⁹ he has preserved our lives
       and kept our feet from slipping.
 ¹⁰ For you, O God, tested us;
       you refined us like silver.
 ¹¹ You brought us into prison
       and laid burdens on our backs.
 ¹² You let men ride over our heads;
       we went through fire and water,
       but you brought us to a place of abundance.
 ¹³ I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
       and fulfill my vows to you-
 ¹⁴ vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
       when I was in trouble.
 ¹⁵ I will sacrifice fat animals to you
       and an offering of rams;
       I will offer bulls and goats.
       Selah
 ¹⁶ Come and listen, all you who fear God;
       let me tell you what he has done for me.
 ¹⁷ I cried out to him with my mouth;
       his praise was on my tongue.
 ¹⁸ If I had cherished sin in my heart,
       the Lord would not have listened;
 ¹⁹ but God has surely listened
       and heard my voice in prayer.
 ²⁰ Praise be to God,
       who has not rejected my prayer
       or withheld his love from me!

the reigns...

the boys...

I somehow had this realization yesterday while dusting (I was at work-not my own home ;) ) that my boys will one day be grown men, prayerfully with families of their own...and hubby and I will still have a life to live...a whole life...a whole new season that I'd somehow never truly realized.  I'm so focused on the now and what our lives are right here that it is hard to imagine anything beyond this.

I have to admit I've been struggling lately with what I want our life to be now and fearing that it will never be and then life will be passed and the kids will be grown and that's as far as my thoughts usually go.  I know our children are not and should not be my life.  They are precious gifts from the Lord whom He has entrusted to our care, to train up in the ways they should go...that we might let them go on to the purpose He has called them to, praying we've done the best we can and knowing His grace is there to cover our mistakes.  So saying this, maybe this is the realization that maybe I am thinking like this.

But I digress, so my struggles...discontentment and fear.  Both not true or honoring to our Father.  But I can't emphasize enough to you the grace that has poured out from my precious Heavenly Father.  Despite my heart attitude, He has heard my cries, my pleas to fix this broken and sinful heart of mine.  He has been faithful to show me quickly how He hears me and cares for the little things as much as the big things.  I prayed, I cried for joy...and He filled me.

I can only turn to His Word...His love to us.
I have prayed He would allow me to know Him better, to be the woman He has called me to be, to know who I am in Him.

He is faithful, I know this, I cling to this, looking forward with faith that He is in control and knows SO MUCH better than I do what is best for all of us-not just me.  How precious He is, with mercy and grace and all in love.


Deuteronomy 28:11 (New International Version)

¹¹ The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.

I sit in the cart continually handing over the reigns but holding onto the ends out of fear we might never go down "that" path.  He stops the cart, sits and listens, and waits, patiently reaffirming that the cart might end up on that path...and it might not.  But no matter which way He leads it, if I let Him...and trust Him He will take me on the BEST path.  He gently puts his hand out and waits for the reigns of this cart that sit in my hand.  I give them, asking for His help to let go, His peace surrounding, His voice to my heart.


Deuteronomy 5:33 (New International Version)

³³ Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

 And He will lead...and I pray to sit and look out past the cart and see the beauty of the path He drives, looking beyond the reigns, taking the blinders off, the fears, the worries subsiding,
...trusting, hoping...in faith...

looking out...

Psalm 121:1-2

A song of ascents.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
       where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the LORD,
       the Maker of heaven and earth.

Bless you dear friends,

thankful...

Thanking Him this day

the fresh breeze of the cool water against my face...
my sweet family beside me...
looking over at hubby, his face toward the sky, mind at ease...
pizza in the fridge for dinner...
sleeping little ones...
dryer and washer going...
whipped cream in my coffee...
His Word...
His Grace...
His continued Mercy...
His patience with this heart...

He is good always...


1 Chronicles 16:34

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
       his love endures forever.