reading...

...in her most amazing and humble words, she writes this here...

"We don't see the material world for what it is meant to be:  as the the means to communion with God."

"...communion with God..."  

Life pulls at us from every direction: children, marriage, church, school, home, work, friends, ministry, finances, meals, family, our own desires, our own insecurities and struggles...the list goes on.

But He gives us a glimpse when we can slow down just for a minute and reminds us,
...it is only about Him.


He isn't another space on the calendar, another check box on the to-do-list, another Bible study or Sunday School class...this isn't the only place we should meet Him.

He is our everyday. Our every moment.  Our fill.  Our Hope.  Our home.  He makes us complete.

We search and search for "our purpose", our calling, our destiny to fulfill...and it sits in front of us, He sits before us, resides in us,
...we are to love and be loved by our Creator...to commune with God...

Humbling, isn't it?

Praying for you, may you be encouraged in His word, find love in His care, and be encouraged in the knowledge that you have been created with purpose and utmost love, He hears your heart and rejoices and weeps with you.  You are His, created to love and be loved by Him...

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Grace abounds...

On New Year's day I sat quietly, thanking the Lord for the newness. Thanking the Lord for the sweet ones He has blessed me with.  Thanking the Lord for my dear hubby who was half way across the world at that time ministering and being ministered to.  I sat thanking the Lord for His word.

There was such peace, such a feeling of new beginnings, making changes, setting priorities and letting all the other "stuff" fall to the wayside.  First and foremost, it was to dive into His word, to soak in it to know Him more intimately, to share His love with these sweet ones He has blessed us with.

...Grace abounds...

He knows my heart, He knows my desires and He loves me despite my sinful nature, my falling short of the mark.

I said once at one of our women's groups at church that I wished I could just take my self out and wash it off.  Okay, so saying that out loud seems quite strange, but I suppose being a visual person this is how I can explain what I mean.  Wash away the faults, failures, and put back in a happy, peaceful (and organized) girl.  :)

So He says, "I have done this through the cleansing blood of Jesus...now we'll walk through it together.."

Our Heavenly Father is so good.  His ways are not our ways.  He is changing and healing and renewing my heart in His ways, not in mine...and I thank Him with  humble heart.  So we take it step by step, being quiet most of the time (He needs to constantly remind me of this I think!), listening, watching, teaching, loving and resting in His care.

"His love endures forever and by the grace of God we will carry on, His love endures forever, sing praise!"

I say this all with a Joyful heart-all by His grace!

My heart will (and does) rejoice...

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” ~ Mark 9:35

Miss America...

Some thoughts here...

...found myself watching the Miss America Pageant the other night, not something I would usually be watching.  Despite what I thought it was going to be like, I was pleasantly pleased for majority of it, what they spoke about, physical limitations...Something that really stood out to me though, these girls have worked really hard to accomplish this goal.  They have used gifts the Lord has given them (whether they know it or not) and blossomed.  I'm speaking specifically about the talent section.  The winner of the pageant is 17 and a phenomenal piano player!  Really, how many hours, years did this girl practice?  Point is, I don't want to let a gifting lay dormant simply because of fear, lack of motivation, lack of organization...just plain ol' laziness.  And I don't want to let this happen with our sweet ones.  My hubby wanted to be a professional boxer and he did it.  He has dreams and I believe he can accomplish them (of course with the Lord's blessing and if this is where He wants him.)  He has inspired me with his hard work and determination and lack of fear (pushing through it if there is.)

We have this one life, one life the Lord has a plan for.  
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Let us serve Him with our whole hearts!
Let us seek Him and His will for our lives
...that He may be glorified...in the big and the small.

something grand to grow out of something so small, designed with a purpose by our Mighty God...

He is so good :)


Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

 ⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

a whole decade...

my sweet boys

installing our first flag pole (he started and finished the entire process with Uncle Tom) 

laughing & fun

Christmas cantata

gingerbread house

winter :)

summer fun in the COLD water

fishing with the big boys

loves his little brother :)

he loves to build, design, create

best buds

he'd drive it if he could!

he is such a ham (usually there are noises that go along with these funny faces!)

first year to kayak

summer fun

1st place Fascar!

again the ham!

Our oldest is 10 today, a whole decade...

Time truly does go by quickly like "they" say.  I find myself being one of those mamas that tells that young frazzled mommy, "it really does go by quickly, enjoy them, enjoy the moments, remember they're little..."

I love our sweet boy.  When he was born he came quickly!  My entire labor (including contractions and all) was 3 hours and 49 minutes!  Yes, this is why I say I survived natural childbirth-there was no time for an epidural...well, that and my nurse was our birthing teacher and she knew I wanted to deliver naturally, so she just kept saying the anesthesiologist was on his way...not so much :)

He loves to hear about how daddy had told mom that we couldn't have a baby that day because he had classes (hubby was finishing up his NT degree) and then how daddy drove on the shoulder in morning rush hour in the rain VERY quickly to get us to the hospital!  And then how we parked at the emergency entrance and left the car running while we ran upstairs...good times!

Our sweet boy was a little more than 3 weeks early so for those of you who know me, I was definitely NOT ready (some issues with procrastination, lack of organization...)  So after our sweet boy arrived, daddy went home tossed some stuff in a laundry basket and brought it back--I love this guy :)  Hubby was so amazing, for this to be our first, no warning, both of us having no idea what to expect, he truly is a blessing to me and our boys.

So our sweet one shares Elvis Presley's birthday, which all the nurses seemed to know.  And since this sweet one arrived so quickly, he had some slight breathing issues which resulted in grunting.  He was dubbed the singing baby :)

Ten years...ten years of laughter, crying, a lot of sorry's (from mommy), a lot of learning, a couple of trips to the ER (none ever too serious Praise the Lord!), mistakes, forgiveness, hugs, kisses, Thomas the Tank Engine and Toy Story to robots, hunting and legos.  Disney World, the loss of a grandma, a trip with daddy to the World Series, 4 houses, a huge move away from family to family, a lot of car trips (these kids are awesome in a car for 14-17 hours! God bless them :) ), daycare, preschool, public school to homeschool...and the best, his asking of Jesus into his heart and later being baptized by his daddy.

I know the Lord chose him to be first.  I know the Lord has a special calling on him (as He does for us all).  I know the Lord has a mighty plan and purpose for him and He chose us to be his family.  I am humbled and grateful to be your mama sweet boy, you teach me more than you know.

This sweet boy amazes me everyday...
We love you,  happy birthday!

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.” - Amos 5:14-15

the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you; -Numbers 6:25

out with the old, in with the new...

Growing up, I spent many an hour with my buddy, by the name of Tele Vision.  My buddy told me fine stories of love, family life, friends, parents, school, how to dress, what would make me "cool" and "special".  TV (as I like to refer to buddy) told me the best clothes to wear and how I would be able to dance through the hallways of school and be so popular and that "cool" boy would like me so much because I would look so cool and beautiful (because that is so important.)

As I got older, I saw what holidays were supposed to be like and the way everyone else was celebrating them.  I continued to learn how to find love, how to act with friends, what life would be like in college and how marriage would be 50/50 with my blooming career and then having children some day, 2.5 you know with the picket fence, golden retriever, nice cars, baking cookies on the granite countertops with commercial grade kitchen...

(Are you laughing---or crying---yet?)

Yep, seems I've had quite a bit of disappointment over the years...life didn't go that way...

So let me tell you what I did end up with.  A husband who loves the Lord.  Four sons who are amazing people, teach me daily, stretch me to be the mother I want to be.  A home filled with love, dirty clothes, dirty dishes, sometimes stinky bathrooms, closets overflowing, a mudroom continuously spilling out shoes, a dresser covered in dust with note that says, "I love you Mom" from a 6 year old.  Another dusty dresser, missing knobs, filled with pants that are too small, boasting a framed piece of poetry to Mom and Dad from a then 8 year old.  Rugs with dog hair, pink candy stains and coffee stains.  Walls smudged with fingerprints, shoe marks, some random spiderwebs and dust bunnies.  Stinky diapers, overflowing bookshelves, piles of paperwork, random bins filled with fabric, pictures, scrapbooking paper of projects yet to be started.

Days filled with little and big voices, laughter, crying, some arguing, sorries, "mama," hello's, goodbyes, "I love you's."

Random pictures from the past almost 4 years...significant years in our walk with the Lord, growth in our faith and His amazing grace over our family...His love endures...

Thank you's, prayers and His Word.

...not disappointing in the least when I tell my "buddy" what my true Best Friend, by the name of Jesus, says is "good and right." :)

Praying you can see the reality that is in front of you...lemonade, not lemons sweet ones.  It is all in the eye of the beholder, let that beholder be your heart through the eyes of Jesus.  Find joy in the everyday, in your reality, your cup, not comparing it to another's...all that does is breed discontent, giving the enemy a foothold to destroy.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Happy 2011!  His blessing upon you and your dear ones Praying for fresh eyes, guarded tongues and a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Praying His will would be revealed to you for your life, my daily prayer for our home.