Reporting from the LaundryTrenches

15

2011-11-29T10:09:00.001-06:00

Written November 2011...

Here we are....2 years into our 17 year stretch of teenagers in our home. 1 year shy of you driving.

15.

Happy 15th Birthday!!! Traditional Birthday Breakfast!

These past 10 years have been a blessing. To walk alongside you as you have learned, grown, played and accomplished all that you have. I get a lump in my throat when I think about how we really only have 3 1/2 years left with you under our roof. Perhaps you'll stay close and go to the Jr. College for two years, but I remember how little I was home during that time in my life 15 years ago. I'm not ready for the dynamics of our family to change.

But let's not rush things. Let's just enjoy the moment.

You weren't excited to sit and open family gifts in front of everyone this year. But you were a really good sport about it.

Where we are right now; Celebrating who you have become. A young man. Tall. Handsome. Intelligent. A warrior for God. A friend. A leader.

It was exciting watching you be promoted from 8th grade into high school.

8th Grade Promotion!

So long Middle School! Bring on High School!

I could have cried when we attended the freshmen orientation and they welcomed "The Class of 2015" The emotions are a combination of just how proud I am of you and the reality of how fast life goes and how fast I knew high school would fly by.

You wrapped up 8th grade and survived not having a cell phone. Really. You actually lived to see your freshmen year!! I know you weren't sure if that was possible. But we made it!!!

Thrilled to receive a cell phone at the beginning of 9th grade!

You jumped right in to high school life in early June with football practice. You were there for every practice they had this past summer, working hard, with the exception for the two weeks you went away to camp.

We thought it was so cool to learn that you wore the same number your Grandpa wore in High School! #65

It was a tough season for you. My mama heart ached for you every game that I saw you anxiously waiting to play from the sidelines. It was a different experience for you than Jr. Rams was. We've said it is your choice on whether or not you play your sophomore year. Regardless of what you do next year, we are PROUD of you for your hard work, dedication, patient and perseverance that you showed on the field this year.

Your rocked the marching band on the Quads this year. You looked so handsome in your uniform and I was so proud of the improvement you made and how quickly you learned to play.

Marching in the Homecoming Parade

Your grades continue to be good. Although I know you could get all A's if you wanted to, I'm trying really hard to compliment the hard work that you are doing. God is using this time in school to prepare you for something bigger in your life later on.

You had the opportunity to do lights and sound for the musical this fall and are currently preparing to participate on the Speech Team. (**grin!!**)

I'm most proud of the young Christian man you have grown to be.


Welcomed into membership at First United Methodist Church

Confirmation August 2011

You love going to camp; say that's where you fit in at best. You dislike people who may talk the talk at youth group but don't walk the walk at school. You feel God calling you to be a leader. But haven't been able to put your finger on it. It's hard waiting for God to reveal the big picture, isn't it? All I can do is listen and encourage you to keep listening to God.

It's so hard being a teenager. Trying to discover who you are, where you belong, where you want to go. It's hard trying to fit in when you don't agree with the way the "world" works and it contrasts with the way God wants us to live.

I pray for a friend to come into your life who could be your accountability partner in this faith walk who could also encourage you when the high school path gets frustrating. I will continue to pray for your discernment on what and where God wants you to serve both now in high school and later in life.

There are friends in your life who I am thankful for. You are still in touch with our former neighbor even though we have moved and she isn't yet in high school. You have also become friends with our neighbor here at this house.

My biggest prayer and mama goal is that you feel loved and worthy. Loved by God and loved by us. I pray that you see and sense that is the only thing that matters in this season of life right now. Once you are confident in that, that's when you will be able to extend the same grace and love that God has blessed you with to others. That's when you'll begin to be transformed into the leader you feel God calling you to be.

I have two scripture verses that I claim for you, my son as you continue this life journey....

1:Timothy 4:8 "Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future"

I don't care, more importantly, God doesn't care, about how much play time you get on the field, or how well you do in any extra curricular activity. God only cares about your heart and how you work to grow closer to Him. Period. Are extra curricular activities bad? No. Do they define who you are or how successful you will be? NO! Participate in all of the fun things you can in high school but do it with an attitude of discernment as God continues to reveal to you your call. Use it as an opportunity to be the light of Christ that others need to see. And, while you're at it, HAVE FUN!!!!

1 Timothy 4:12 "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith and purity"

Don't be afraid of your faith. It is strong and even if you don't realize it, you are planting seeds among your peers everyday. You are planting seeds into your brothers and your dad and I too.

Lookin' Good! Ready for Homecoming 2011

Love you bud....You make me proud. Thank you for making me a mom. It's the best job I've ever been blessed to do!

"Fifteen there's still time for you Time to buy and time to lose
Fifteen, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got hundred years to live" Five for Fighting-100 years

Bedtime Stories

2011-10-17T10:32:00.001-05:00

The Boy: Mooommmm.....tell me a bedtime story...

Me: Once upon a time, there was a little boy who loved his mommy so much that he would pretend to fall asleep on the way to daycare so that she would carry him in. He hated when she left so much that he would cling to her, not let her go and cry. One day she decided she just couldn't take it anymore so she quit her job. The two of them had a sweet summer together. She took him to swim lessons, they went to the library and parks and did VBS for the first time and she enjoyed her special one-on-one time with him so much that summer before he started kindergarten and their family grew....

The Boy: Then the next 10 years went by so fast...

Me: **lump in throat** Yep they sure did. But I'm so glad I've been home for all 10 of them. Good night. I love you.

A Day of Praise

2011-10-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gracious and Loving God, life is busy and full. There is much to do and very little down time. But rather than wallow in my selfishness, I choose to give thanks for all the blessings that are in my life.

I give thanks for the overflowing hampers...
what a blessing it is to have clothes for our children when there are so many who go without.

I give thanks for the dirty dishes...how blessed we are to have enough food to eat 3 times (or more!) a day when there are children starving around the world, in our country and in our community.

I give thanks for the giant blow up guitar, star wars light sabers, Sorry game and plastic army guys that I can see from where I sit....it reminds me that just yesterday the house was full of children playing and having fun.

I give thanks for the full fall schedules that we have....it's a reminder that we have active boys and a family with a heart to serve and share their time, gifts and talents.

I give thanks for the dirt on the floors, dust on the shelves and streaks on the windows....it reminds me that there are more important things in life.

I give thanks for the little boy in the backseat of the van with questions, and questions and more questions....thank you for blessing us with healthy, smart, sweet boys. I pray Lord I can lead them and teach them to know and love you.

I give thanks for your son, Jesus...who without the love, grace, mercy and hope that he taught me, I wouldn't have the capacity to be thankful in all circumstances.

9

2011-09-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

Dear BuhBuh,

I know, I know...this is late...by two weeks. This letter has been floating around in my head and I just haven't taken the time to sit down and write it.

Just before your 9th birthday we reflected and remembered those who died on September 11th 10 years ago. I remember how my life was 10 years ago; how I felt that everything in my life and my country were falling apart. Then one year and 5 days later there you were in my arms. You are the visible reminder of hope, rebirth, grace and love in my life.

And you're a pretty cool kid on top of that! You have a heart for blessing others. It's natural for you. You think of others before you think of yourself. For your birthday party this year you wanted to go to the park so that your cousins had someplace to play. You have enjoyed baking cakes for your brothers this past year for their birthdays. Last Christmas you wrapped up one of your old toys and placed it under the tree for Little Dude to have. You have this way about being able to find lost things that is almost funny. If something is missing, you can usually locate it. You also are able to understand what Little Dude is saying when I can't.

You are a loyal friend and really love spending time with those friends who are your close buddies. It warmed my mama heart to hear how you sat with one of your friends the other day on the playground after he got hurt.

In addition to your school buddies you are also very good friends with your cousin who is 5 weeks older than you

Whenever the two of you are able to spend time together you are inseparable. It is a very sweet, loving relationship which makes all of us smile. We hope that it lasts beyond childhood and into your teenage years and adulthood.

You are such a good big brother to Little Dude. You are patient and kind and the two of you have so much fun together. He really loves you and looks up to you. I pray that one day you and The Boy can be friends. I think you are just trying to figure that relationship out and aren't sure how. I celebrate the times that the two of you play games or build together.

This past year you rode your first roller coaster at Disney World, played baseball, advanced to a higher level of swimming, and are playing fall soccer right now. You have taking a liking to playing games, but have a funny way of playing. In the game Dominion that we like to play you never try to win but try to either earn the most money or have the fewest points.

If I had a magic wand I would make it so that school wasn't so hard for you. It's hard to see you struggle; hard to make you do homework when you come home; hard to see you get upset about it. So, we will keep on preserving in the best way that we can because it has to be done. I know that when you put your mind to something, you will work hard and diligently. I know that God has amazing plans for you.

I saw a glimpse of a leader last Sunday in Sunday School as you sang loud as we practiced a song and as you re-told the story we were learning about. I shared how proud I was of you for doing that and will continue to encourage your leadership and faith in church, in the home and at school.

Micah 6:8 says, "and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

You, my darling boy, live this verse. You seek what is right, you show love and kindness to others and you are humble in your faith. I'm so proud of who you are and all that you do.

I look forward to watching you grow, learn and serve in this coming year...next stop: double digits! But this mama isn't rushing a thing!

I love you!!!! Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mom

Lunch Box Worries

2011-09-21T17:05:00.001-05:00

On the inside of BuhBuh's Star Wars lunch box I wrote, "I love you and God love's you too! Have a good (with the o's of good making the eyes of a smiley face) day!!"

My thought was on the mornings that were busy and I didn't have the opportunity to write him a note, he'd have a permit message reminding him that he is loved.

I thought it was brilliant!

He asked today WHEN I was going to take that off of his lunch box and that he had tried to wipe it off with little luck.

I told him it was permanent marker.

"UGH!!!! MOOOMMM!!! When I'm in college, my roommate is going to see that and ask what that is and then I'm going to have to tell him that my mom wrote it then he'll laugh and I'll cry."

I didn't have the heart to tell him that

A. he most likely would not still be carrying that Star Wars lunch box when he got to college and

B. He would probably really, even if secretly, like seeing a note like that from mom when he's in college.

But then again, I'm just mom....what do I know, right?

In the meantime, let's just enjoy 3rd grade, yummy lunches packed in our Star Wars lunch boxes and permanent messages from mom.

Car Talk

2011-09-15T22:31:00.001-05:00

Little Dude: I'm going to have lots of babies

The Daddy: How many?

Little Dude: 10

The Daddy: Who's going to be your wife?

Little Dude: A girl.

The Daddy: Who?

Little Dude: Anybody. Girls are easy to find. They are everywhere.

Car Talk

2011-08-15T21:55:00.000-05:00

BuhBuh: My birthday is coming up.

Me: Yes it is.

BuhBuh: But it's not right around the corner. It's around the corner twice

Car Talk

2011-07-26T12:44:00.000-05:00

Little Dude: Did you see 'dat?

Me: See what?

Little Dude: 'Dose army cows??

Me: Army cows??? What did they look like?

Little Dude: Black and white.

Me: Ohhhh....**giggling as I realized exactly what he was talking about***

Summer Nights

2011-07-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

The sky looks like the canvas of an artists masterpiece.

Red and pink hues streak the sky as the sun slips just below the horizon.

"Now??" he asks anxiously for the umpteenth time.

"No, not yet," I reply. I know how excited he is.

The colors in the sky begin to fade and the shadows grow longer and longer.

And then you see one.

Then two.

Then more than you can count.

Bursts of light begin to twinkle just out our door breaking apart the still, darkness that has engulfed the yard.

Fireflies!

I hear the door slide open and then shut.

He doesn't even ask to go out.

Bare feet race across the deck and down the stairs into the summer night air to fulfill the mission of the moment.

I peer through the window from the kitchen, trying to keep an eye on the busyness.

"I GOT ONE," he exclaims excitedly.

Proudly, and carefully he slips his new friend into a jar with holes punched on top of the lid. Again he slips out the door to find another. He thinks his new friend needs a friend.

What joy simple little things like lightening bugs can bring to an ordinary summer evening. It's just about the perfect kind of summer evening there is to be had. Especially if there's a scoop of ice cream to go with it!

June

2011-07-01T11:17:00.001-05:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE the month of June??? 30-blissful days of being unplugged (except for work. I was on computer way more this year than in years past. ICK!) and reconnecting.

We take this so seriously that even people who come to our house during the month of June have to play along.

Cousins and friends who come over to play, and we even 10 kids we entertained when it was our turn to host for our Babysitting Co-op.

So what all did June entail here at the Yellow House on the Prairie?? (I should rename this blog! What do you think?)

Celebrating 15 years of marriage. I had a conference to leave for that day. But had flowers waiting for me when I checked into my hotel. We celebrated when I returned with a Pops Symphony Concert with

Micheal Cavanaugh and a movie

Vacation Bible School. The first one I was 100% responsible for planning and organizing. It was awesome. We had over 20 volunteers help to make it what it was. We had about 60 children and youth and God showed up, that is for sure!

Trip to the zoo with cousins

Lots of games played as a family both inside and out.

Day trip to Chicago

Fireflies and Toads

Evenings at the ball park

Hours spent driving The Boy to and from 2 different camps, weights and conditioning for football, youth group, Village Inn, Friends houses. (Hence the reason there are NO pictures of him. He hasn't been around much! SNIFF!!!)

June is over.....but I am looking forward to enjoying July even if there are a few more electronics being used during the month.

End of School

2011-07-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

No, the child did not have to stay in school this long. His mama just didn't get his last day of school pictures up.

He was excited for summer to begin. Can you tell???

We are having so much fun this summer (except when mean mama makes him do math or read) that I doubt this will be the same sort of memory I capture when he returns to school in the fall.

Another Chapter

2011-05-24T16:08:00.000-05:00

Middle School...

Lockers

Multiple teachers

Contacts

Football

Broken arms

Crushes

School Dances

Quiz Bowl

Drums

Getting taller

Peer mentor

Honor Roll

Figuring out life

Searching for identity

Dreaming about the future

Growing in maturity

Over....

A new chapter begins August of 2011

HIGH SCHOOL!!!!

Last Day of School: Litte Dude

2011-05-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

Today was the end of Little Dudes first year of preschool.

He has so loved preschool.

When I would drop him off he'd skip down the hall, happy and excited. When I would pick him up, he would run out with a smile on his face and jump into my arms.

He would hug his best friend and the two of them would walk out to their mommy's vans holding hands.

Today was different. There was no smile. No running. He tried to carry a big brave boy composer. But his lip quivered just ever so slightly that I knew he was sad.

We snapped a quick photo with his teacher.

Then he fell into my arms, buried his head into my neck to hide his face.

I could feel his warm tears on my neck.

"Go! Go!" he whimpered, motioning toward the door wanting to leave.

Today there was no goodbye hug for his best friend; no walking her to her van.

Today he just wasn't up to it.

I tried to get a last day of school picture in the same spot that we took our first day of school picture. But he just clung to me tighter.

I'm so glad that he loved preschool that much. Glad that we decided to keep him there next year rather than moving him into the program at our elementary school. Sad that his heart was sad. (I've never had a kiddo react that way to the end of school!!!) But looking forward to all of the fun and adventure that we will have this summer.

Hugs

2011-05-18T10:57:00.000-05:00

A wise mom of grown children told me once, "Never stop hugging your kids. Even if they don't like it, keep hugging them. Because if you stop, they might decide they do want to be hugged by you and how would you know?"

So, I make it a point to hug my boys, all three of them, big, medium and small.

Little Dude runs and jumps into my arms and squeezes.

BuhBuh lets me hug and kiss him. But most times his arms dangle at his side. Unless it's bedtime then he wants a big hug. I think it's a stall tactic, but I don't care. If he has a bad dream he still insists on a "good night" kiss to make it all better.

The Boy curls up into a fetal position and squirms. But I hug him anyway. It doesn't really hurt my feelings that he doesn't hug back. Because my job is to let him know that I love HIM

This weekend The Boy and I were at a youth retreat and at the end everyone runs around hugging all of their friends new and old.

As I was trying to round up my group I was standing there face to face with The Boy; looking up to him. He leaned in and let me hug him. We were in the middle of a group of people and he didn't care. We stood there longer than any other hug we have had recently. This time it wasn't one sided either.

Words to Live By

2011-04-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
— Mother Teresa

Camera Cable FOUND!!!!

2011-04-25T16:31:00.000-05:00

YIPPIE!!!! Here are some pictures of our new 4 year old enjoying his birthday!!!

HAHA! He's trying to give a double thumbs up!

Birthday Letter

2011-04-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

Dear Little Dude,

Happy 4th Birthday, my sweet, little boy!!!! You have been counting down birthdays until yours since after The Boy's. First we celebrate Jesus' birthday, then Daddy's. You knew that yours was coming up after Daddy's. So then we started to count sleeps.

You woke up this morning and came to our room and knew that you didn't have any more sleeps left!!! You knew that TODAY was THE day!!!

Then you thought about it.

Perhaps a little more deeply than most little boys your age.

You got that little whimper; crack in your voice as you tried to talk.

"I don't want to be four," you said. "I want to be three"

You nestled your little head into my neck. I think I might have even felt a couple of warm crocodile tears on my cheeks.

But then BuhBuh came to your rescue!!! He said he had something for you....he put one of his toys and some of his guys on a shelf down low and told you that you could play with those toys anytime you liked and you didn't have to ask.

Thanks BuhBuh!!!

We celebrated YOU with some gifts and birthday cinnamon rolls just like we do with your big brothers. You really enjoyed opening your gifts. You got some new games, a pillow pet, a Leapster with some games and a soccer ball.

The cool thing about having your birthday fall on a Sunday is that your church family sings to you!!! You were pretty excited about this and were giving some pretty enthusiastic fist pumps during the special serenade.

We went out to lunch with some of our church family. You asked if the restaurant was a good birthday place and were thrilled, as always that they had your favorite. Chocolate milk!!! Mommy and Daddy and The Boy had bible study then we came home and played your with your new games.

You are looking forward to your family dinner next Saturday when your aunties and uncles and cousins and grandmas and papa's will all be here. Mommy is looking forward to it too.

What a fun year it has been to watch you grow and play and learn.

Naps are a thing of the past. Once summer hit, it was just too hard to keep any kind of a nap schedule. You do pretty good for the most part and go to bed well at night. The car can still almost always lull you to sleep. Which is not good when it's late afternoon. We go back and forth between streaks of you climbing into our bed at night. You've been really good about it lately, waiting until the sun comes up before you come in. That I'm OK with!

Although you were mostly potty trained prior to your 3rd birthday, there were a couple of more potty training hurdles that we had to conquer. Which we did this past summer. YIPPIE!!!

You started participating in the children's ministry programs at Church on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. I love that you are able to be independent from mom for short periods. You also have loved going to preschool this past school year! You run into your classroom everyday with so much anticipation and excitement and a couple of hours later run out of the classroom excited to see me. It's been good for both of us I think.

You have a special friend that you met this year at preschool. A cute little brunette girl who you hug at the beginning of the day at preschool and once more to say goodbye. The two of you walk out to your mommy's vans holding hands every day. It's only cute and allowed because you are this young. We have discussed how she may not spend the night at your house because it's not appropriate for girls and boys to have sleep overs. But we have enjoyed a couple of play dates after school with her. You say she's your best friend; your favorite friend. You tell me that you will miss her just about every day when we leave school. I think it's precious that your first best friend is a little dark haired girl, just like both of your big brothers had first best friends who were little girls with dark hair as well.

You love the color yellow. You have begun to enjoy watching Dora during your TV time in the afternoons. You love to play games. You play well with BuhBuh, The Boy, cousins, playgroup friends and church friends. You love to snuggle with mommy in her bed and read books. You love to wrestle with your Daddy. You give me countless hugs and kisses all day long. I love that. You give a pretty terrific high five. Recently you've mastered the "super spin" and you can tell some pretty hilarious knock-knock jokes. You like to rev your monster trucks through the house. Your speech is improving, although we think we will need some speech services next school year. You say such cute, funny things. You tell me I'm beautiful then ask if that has melted my heart. And yes, it does, every time.

We've had lots of fun adventures this past year. I've always said that 3 is one of my favorite years. But, I have to tell ya my sweet boy, I'm REALLY excited for 4!!! I can't wait to spend this last year home with you before you begin all of the adventures of school that lie ahead. But not yet!!! Let's just take it slow, one day at a time enjoying the moments that God gives us.

Happy Birthday my sweet little guy. Mommy loves you so much!!!!

***editors note: If I werent' trying to unpack boxes (yes, still!) and get ready for a birthday party on top of the normal things that we do day to day, maybe I could have found my camera cable to share some birthday pictures with you. But NOOOOO, it wants to remain hidden.***

Brothers

2011-04-11T21:19:00.000-05:00

BuhBuh: I like being the middle child

Me: *grinning* Oh yeah? Why is that?

BuhBuh: Because if I were the oldest I'd only have two younger brothers and no big brother and if I were the youngest I'd only have two older brothers and no younger brothers.

After this bedtime conversation with BuhBuh, both of these pictures flashed into my mind.

Mark Twain Lake, July 2009

Starved Rock State Park, July 2010

I love both of these pictures of my boys.

They both tell me a story.

They both capture a precious, shared moment between the three of them.

They both give me insight into each of their hearts.

They both remind me that despite the moments of arguing and fighting that occur; despite my worrying about whether or not my boys will grow up and be brothers who are friends; despite me worrying about whether or not I'm treating them fairly because of their "birth order;" I know...I see that there is a bond between them that only the three of them will ever share.

I pray that it will continue to grow stronger through the years.

John Wesley's Historic Questions

2011-04-06T10:34:00.002-05:00

In addition to submitting my statement of call to the SPRC, I also had to answer John Wesley's Historic Questions, self-examining questions that have always been asked of those seeking ordination within the United Methodist Church. the committee needs to reflect upon and weigh into their decision of whether or not to recommend a candidate Here is what I submitted.

1. Do they know God as pardoning God?

God is love. God loves me so much that he sent his Son to suffer and die on the cross for me. It is only by the grace of God that I have been forgiven from the sins of my past, the sins of my present and even from the sins that I am yet to commit. I know that the grace of God is bigger than any sin that I have committed. I am forgiven and I am free from being a slave to the sin and the guilt that I once carried.

Have they the love of God abiding in them?

It is God, through the Holy Spirit that is alive and active within me, calling me to be the hands and feet of Christ in my home, in my church and in my community and world. I want to share my love of God with others. I seek out opportunities to share the love of God with the all that I am privileged to come into contact with, both within the church and outside of the church. I pray that Christ is reflected in my words and actions.

Do they desire nothing but God?

My only desire is to live my life loving God and loving others. My desire is to continue to grow in the grace of God, grow in the wisdom of God and to continue to grow more Christ-like in all that I do.

Are they holy in all manner of conversation?

I try to speak in such a way that is tender and loving and brings glory to God. I listen when it’s time to listen and try to provide a positive aspect in negative situations.

2. Have the gifts, as well as evidence of God’s grace, for the work?

I have taken several different spiritual gifts inventories. The most recent one, on the United Methodist website indicated that my spiritual gift is in teaching with secondary gifts in shepherding, exhortation, compassion, wisdom and faith. This most recent inventory also reflects the gifts that have appeared in other inventories I have taken, just in a slightly different order. It is only by God’s grace that I am able to teach youth and children in Christian Education and it is something that I feel that God is currently calling me to do. God provides me with the wisdom needed to lead each class, children’s sermon, devotion or small group that I have had a privilege of leading over the past several years.

Have they a clear, sound understanding; a right judgment in the things of God; a just conception of salvation by faith?

Gods’ characteristics are best revealed to us through Jesus’ 3 years of public ministry. We are created in God’s image and are called to imitate Christ. As I continue to grow in my faith and study more about Jesus, I become more and more aware of how I am being called to live my life. There have been many behaviors that I have consciously changed in my life because I feel that they do not reflect Jesus. John Wesley’s General Rules also offer a good guideline to how we are to live our lives in a way that best reflects Christ; to do no harm and to do good.

All of us have fallen short of the way God had created us to be. We are all sinners. But we are saved from sin when we accept God’s free gift of grace. Hebrews 11:1 says, “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.” Before someone accepts the free gift of grace and salvation, faith has to already be working in their lives. Faith is the understanding, acceptance and belief that God does have something more and better to offer us than what we can try to offer ourselves.

Do they speak justly, readily, clearly?

I am always eager and excited to be able to present the message that God has given me to share whether it is in a large group setting, in a small group or in a one-on-one situation. I am a certified Lay Speaker within the United Methodist Church, and have had the opportunity to speak in other faith based settings outside of the Church.

3. Have they fruit? Have any been truly convinced of sin and converted to God, and are believers edified by their service?

Working with kids and youth has been such fun. The younger ones are sponges and soak up every word you teach. The youth are beginning to question and search for answers that they can grasp in a world that can be so negative and confusing. When I am able to tell a teenager the truth about God and the love that God has for her, and I can see the fear that’s been in her fade, that is fruit. When I see youth reach out to comfort one another, that is fruit. When I get to watch youth step out of their comfort zone during mission trips and service projects and serve others with their whole heart, that is fruit. When I see and hear the children singing, full of enthusiasm, in front of the congregation, that is fruit. When the children repeat back to you something you taught them, that is fruit. Being asked to be a reference for the college and high school students is also fruit. When I receive hugs from the little ones through the college kids, that is fruit. It is a privilege to be part of the seed-planting in the children and youth I serve. I pray that as those seeds are watered and tended to that they continue to produce fruit, even if I don’t get to witness all of it. I pray that they will in turn be seed-planters for others and get the joy of watching fruit bloom just as I have seen in them.

Statement of Call

2011-04-05T10:34:00.001-05:00

One of the steps into candidacy for ordained ministry is to prepare a written statement of call and submit it to the Staff-Pastor Relations Committee within your local church. After reviewing and interviewing the candidate they then have to vote so that the candidate can move forward with the process. This is what I submitted.

In April of 2007 we welcomed our third son into our family. I was living the stay-at-home mom dream and felt privileged to be able to care for my family. While holding my infant son one day, I reflected on how content and happy I felt. No sooner after that idea flooded my heart, I heard God whisper. I didn’t completely understand at the time, but I felt that God had something planned for my life which I needed to be in prayer about. Even then, although I couldn’t really articulate what God was doing, I knew. In that moment while holding my son I actually attempted to bargain with God. I told God that if I wasn’t pregnant again by the time this baby was 2 years old, maybe then we could talk.

God did not wait 2 years. Over the course of the next year God continued to place different opportunities for me to serve on my heart. Obediently, I served hoping that would help to quench the ultimate call that God was leading me towards.

Just a year after I had tried to “make a deal,” God was no longer whispering, but making sure that I was getting the message loud and clear. God spoke to me while I was serving on my first mission trip, in scripture and bible study and through songs that played on the radio every time I was in my car. While preparing to serve on my first Walk to Emmaus Team the Holy Spirit was working on my heart so much that I was overwhelmed with emotion while listening to a Pastor speak. It became obvious to me that I no longer could ignore or push aside God calling me into ministry any longer.

Despite acknowledging that God was calling me into ministry, I became very confused on the specifics. I felt very strongly that I was being called to attend seminary but was certain, however, that I was not being called into Pastoral Ministry. After much prayer, study and talking to others, I learned of the Order of Deacons in the United Methodist Church. I instantly realized that was the path God was calling me to pursue.

I feel very strongly that my first call is in our home to my husband and children. Accepting this call into ordained ministry has been a struggle. However, when I finally accepted and acknowledged the direction God is leading me, I was filled with a calming, affirming peace. I have not felt any pressure to rush this process as long as I am pursuing it at a pace that will allow me to be ready for seminary when my youngest begins kindergarten. God has continued to re-affirm my call over the past few years, which has helped me to remain confident that this is the path I am to continue to follow.

During this season of prayer, study and searching for clarity in the ways that God has called me, and throughout this candidacy process, I have clung to Philippians 2:13 (NLT) “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” I know that I can not do what God has called me to do on my own. The only way I can continue to pursue and fulfill this call, is to trust that it is God who is equipping me for both this candidacy process and ordained ministry. I am merely a humble servant of an awesome, redeeming, God.

Spring Break Vacation

2011-04-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things is to take vacations with my family. It gives us a break from the everyday. It gives us an escape from the busy. It gives us intentional time together to have fun and enjoy one another without the worry of the calendar, clock or to-do list.

Our Spring Break vacation was split between Walt Disney World in Orlando and Grandma and Grandpa's Florida house in Fort Myers.

I know Little Dude won't remember his first trip to Walt Disney World . But it's pretty special to watch a 3-year old experience the excitement of Disney World for the first time and to be part of that excitement and joy with them.

Although BuhBuh had been to Walt Disney World 5 years ago, we really got to watch him experience it all over again.

He rode several roller coasters, often times putting up a fight to not ride them, but was always so happy when he did.

Oh! And he got to have a little light saber battle.

Although he asked if he could battle on the dark side (sigh) he thought it was pretty cool.

The Boy was such a trooper. He did get to ride several roller coasters which he enjoyed. But he was a good helper with his brothers.

He never complained when we rode on the "kid" rides.

I was worried that he wasn't having any fun. This was the first vacation that I actually worried and wondered about that. But when we got home he did tell me that he had fun. My Sweetie and I realized as we walked out of the Magic Kingdom at 1 in the morning on our last "night" in the parks, that he might not be with us the next time we go.

We really crammed a lot of the Disney Experience into a short amount of time. We walked a lot, ate very little, slept very little, but had a ton of fun.

After the Extreme Disney part of the trip, we drove to Fort Myers to stay with My Sweetie's parents at their Florida home. We spent one day looking for alligators in the Everglades.

The rest of the time there we spent relaxing on the beach.

It was BuhBuh's and Little Dude's first time to the ocean. All three boys had a blast playing in the water, digging in the sand and searching for shells.

I had a blast sitting in my chair watching and soaking up the memories.

Dinner Party Rules

2011-03-30T11:10:00.001-05:00

I have a rule when we have company over. To not be a Martha when guests are in my home! (Luke 10:39-42)

We had friends over for dinner one Friday evening. There were a total of 16 of us!!!! We've done it before. But we don't do it nearly as often as we should.

One thing is for sure though.

The time sitting around visiting and playing games and listening to the (10!!!) kids play is far more important than doing the dishes while they are all here.

My awesome husband told me to come to bed after they had all left. I was a little uncomfortable with this as I was leaving in the morning with some kids from church to attend a kids conference. (working on not being as much of a Martha with my family!) But I went to bed and then left the mess and came home that afternoon to it all cleaned up. Bonus!!!

2011-03-29T11:10:00.000-05:00

As we wait with much anticipation of warmer weather, we can't wait to get outside and enjoy life here in the Yellow House on the Prairie.....it's a little chilly still, but we've managed to get a preview of the fun that spring and summer surely will bring.

Fun with Daddy

2011-03-29T11:02:00.000-05:00

I wonder how much longer they will be able to do this?

Treasure Chest

2011-03-10T21:25:00.002-06:00

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

The Boy just recently finished a book on the Holocaust in his Language Arts class. They had to come up with a PowerPoint what they would put in a "treasure chest" that would create change in the world. They needed graphic images and a description on each point. Then they had to write an essay taking what they had on their PowerPoint and making some connections to the story they had just read. I have the privilege of being his editor. Other than some minor technical errors, I have to say, this mama's heart was so proud of the work he did that I don't think I would have minded what grade he got.

My treasure chest for change has five items they are a twenty sided die (d20), a lantern, salt, hands, and a compass.

My first item is a d20. I would have a d20 because there are so many ways it could land. You never know where life is going to take you. In the Holocaust, the Jews were treated unfairly. Their die did not roll in their favor.

My second item is a lantern. When times are bad and dark you need to be the light of the world for others and show them the right path to follow. The Jews in the Holocaust definitely needed a light for there world and many didn’t survive.

My third item is salt. If salt has lost its flavor it becomes useless. Salt is to remind me to not live life just going through the motions. Life can become boring and loose flavor. If you change it up and step out of the crowd, you can be different. For the sufferers of the Holocaust when their family member died or got sent to a work or concentration camp they would morn and lose there taste and they just went through the motions of life.

The next item in my treasure chest is a pair of hands. We can use our hands for many things such as serving others and helping other people in need. We as humans have the capability to do greatness. The sad thing is we don’t. We sit at home and play video games and text our friends all day. We need to get active and give a helping hand to those in need. In the time of World War II people suffered all across the world but were in better shape than the Jews. The United States needed t o help with the war sooner than we did.

Finally I have a compass. We need to follow a compass. Not the one everyone else follows, but the one that less and less people follow each day. You might think the benefits of the crowd are good and rewarding, but they aren’t. It will lead you to a place you don’t want to be. So that’s why you need to follow the compass I follow. Some people were not following the right compass such as the Nazis who killed innocent people who supposedly were to blame for Germany losing WII.

What I learned is how others don’t do as they should. They feel they are better than others because of hair color, eye color, how tall you are, and religion. We should follow the golden rule first spoken over two thousand years ago, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” Luke 6:31.

In case you were wondering, he got a 100% and a nice compliment from his teacher.

Lost

2011-03-05T10:48:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that I forgot about Valentines Day!!!!!

The pictures have been living in my camera. OOPS!

We celebrated on Sunday the 13th because the 14th The Boy had High School orientation and I didn't want to be rushed.

We had our traditional candle light dinner of chocolate fondue with lots of yummy dippers.

Little Dude had been sleeping. We didn't want him to miss out so we woke him up. Sort of.

I think this is one of their favorite meals of the entire year.

It's a sweet way to celebrate with the loves of my life.

Photo Op

2011-03-05T10:42:00.000-06:00

It melts my heart when I walk into the living room and see BuhBuh snuggled up on the couch reading a story to Little Dude.

It was a really sweet moment that I wanted to capture.

But I just wasn't sneaky enough.....

Lots O Mommies!!!

2011-03-04T14:23:00.000-06:00

While in the check out lane at Target, Little Dude was sitting in the cart shaking his head back and forth really fast.....

Little Dude: WHOA!!!!! I SEE LOTS O MOMMIES!!!!!!!!!!

Who Loves You???

2011-03-04T09:08:00.001-06:00

Little Dude: God loves me.

Me: You're right! God does love you. Who else loves you?

Little Dude: You.

Me: You're right! Who else loves you?

Little Dude: UNDERWEAR!!!!!!!! ***an eruption of 3-year old giggles***

Bedtime Stories

2011-02-24T15:15:00.001-06:00

The boys listened intently to a story I had read to them several times before. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.

You know the one.

A train filled with toys and good food for the children at the other end of the mountain breaks down. A Shiny New Engine comes by and is asked to help pull the train to the other side of the mountain but the Shiny New Engine is a passenger engine and says, "I pull the likes of you? Indeed not!" and leaves.

A Big Strong Engine comes by and the dolls and toys ask if he can pull them to the other side of the mountain. The Big Strong Engine is a Freight Engine that pulls trains of big machines over the mountains and is too important to pull the train of toys and food for the children over the mountain.

A third engine approaches; Rusty Old Engine also says he can not pull the train because he is just too tired.

The the Little Blue Engine comes by and is asked to pull the train to the other side of the mountain. Even though the Little Blue Engine is much smaller than the other engines, agrees to pull the them over the mountain and believes in herself so much that she is able to do just that.

As I read, BuhBuh interrupted about half way through the story. "Mom. This story reminds me of that story from the Bible. The one where people keep on passing by the guy laying on the road."

"The story of the Good Samaritan?" I asked.

"YEAH!! That one!!!"

I paused a moment to soak in what he said then continued reading. When I closed the book we compared it to the familiar parable.

The first three engines to pass by the broken train were all bigger and much more capable of pulling the load over the mountain but refused. They felt like they were too good or too important to do such a job.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan the the priest and the Levite that passed by the injured man were the two who should have stopped to help but refused and ignored the man laying on the road. I wonder if they felt like they were too good or too important to care for the injured many?

The Little Blue Engine was much smaller and not as capable as the other engines but thought about the boys and girls on the other side of the mountain who would be so happy when the train arrived and did the right thing.

The Samaritan was not the likely choice to stop and help the injured man. The Jewish people and the Samaritans typically despised one another. Yet this Samaritan knew what the right thing to do was.

BuhBuh struggles a with reading and comprehension at times. But the fact that he was able to recognize and compare The Little Engine that Could with the parable of the Good Samaritan warmed this mama heart on so many levels.

He pointed something out to me that I hadn't ever thought about before.

He does understand and comprehend what is being read and I was assured that reading won't always be as much of a struggle.

The word of God is on his heart.

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37

Intentionally Growing Part Two: Marriage

2011-02-21T09:16:00.000-06:00

16 years ago My Sweetie and I started dating. Our 15 year anniversary is coming up in June.

What a milestone!! Our relationship has not been without bumps and hurdles and at times mountains to climb. But I wouldn't chose anyone else to partner with on this journey.

Even though I think we have a good marriage, I still want it to grow into something more. I don't ever want us to be strangers to one another because we didn't intentionally take the time to grow our relationship. My children, ministry work and care of the home usually take up most of my time. I have to work every day to give my husband the best of my time because if I don't things just don't work. There are plenty of days when I don't and I can feel the distance that builds between us when I'm not intentionally making him a priority.

While reading the blog of Jill Savage, CEO and Founder of a wonderful organization called, Hearts at Home, I was once again reminded of the importance of being in a constant state of intentionally growing in your marriage. Every Monday she partners with her husband to write about marriage. The title of the blog was, "What is it like to be married to me?" (EEK!!! Do I really want to know??) There is a book by the same title written by Linda Dillow which they based this blog post on. Jill and her husband Mark write,

Jill: Becoming better requires us to more often look at ourselves than pointing the finger at our spouse. That’s usually not our default way of handling frustration. Most of us are quick to blame and pray under our breath, “God, change him…quick!” or “God, change her….now!”

Mark: But maturity responds to frustration with, “God, please change me.” It’s a much harder prayer to pray…but a much more effective one. Why? Because the only person you I can change in my marriage is me.

Did you see that last part??

"Maturity responds to frustration with 'God, please change me.'

No matter how hard we try. No matter how long and passionate our prayers are. The ONLY person we can change in a marriage is us.

Asking God to change us rather than our spouses is a very intentional prayer and a good boost in the right direction of intentionally growing a marriage.

For the first 5 years of our marriage I wasted a lot of time of hoping that My Sweetie was different or treated me differently, or would just accept me for who I was. And when those changes in him didn't happen I gave up on our marriage. I called it quits without even really trying to work things out but rather telling him our marriage was over.

In my rock bottom moment of that situation, I realized that I was the one who needed to make a change. I am such a different person now that I barely recognize the wife I was early on in our marriage. Thank God for grace, right?!?!

There have still been moments of peeks and valley's in our marriage since then and I am still having to pray for God to change me, but we've come a long way.

It is a daily, intentional, choice for me to put aside anything that didn't get finished at the end of the day and spend time with My Sweetie. Kids are to be in bed or in their rooms before 8:30. The rest of the evening is set aside for just the two of us.

The other night My Sweetie called and asked if I would meet him around 5 p.m. to meet up with one of his clients.

It was a Thursday night. I needed to do spelling with the kids. Little Dude needed a bath. They needed dinner. I had spent the morning scrubbing floors and the afternoon grocery shopping. I was tired and not looking the role of "corporate wife" at all. This just wasn't work.

No was really the easy answer.

I could tell that he really wanted me to join him. I knew that this would really make him happy and I knew I was really just making excuses for not wanting to make an intentional effort to make My Sweetie happy.

So I made it work. Homework was completed, dinner was healthy, yet simple and our 14-year old would be fine for a few hours watching a movie with his brothers while we were gone.

I met My Sweetie in one of the nearby downtown areas that sits along the Mississippi River and we walked together to meet his client. We visited for a while then left, strolling hand in hand on a beautiful, warm February evening with the sounds of the city surrounding us. We checked in at home and decided to stay out a little longer and had a fantastic dinner together before heading home just in time to put our three-little monkey's to bed.

We both curled up on the couch after they were all tucked in talking of what a great night it was. It was somewhat a spontaneous date night, yet it did require me to get a little uncomfortable about leaving on a school night. But the extra effort it took so that we could spend some time together was well worth it.

Intentionally Growing Part One

2011-02-18T10:44:00.000-06:00

The weekend had come and gone. Again. It was Monday. I usually like Mondays. They are my recover-from-the-weekend-get-ready-for-the-week day. I was swapping laundry around while mentally scrolling through my to-do list and became very overwhelmed.

Aren't the months of January-March suppose to be my "hibernation" months, I wondered.

Wasn't I going to do some much needed scrapbooking and unpack the last few boxes??

Is it REALLY February???

Why does time go so fast???

Why am I so tired?!?!?!!???

I knew I needed a mental break even though it wasn't even 10 a.m. yet.

I logged onto My One Word to see if there were any new blog posts. And there it was. Starting at me. My feelings in the written word.

Rather than living life intentionally, most people end up responding to whatever comes their way just hoping to survive. Our lives are filled with what amounts to be distractions simply because everything else is allowed priority in our lives. We raise our kids, run our businesses and go through our lives holding our breath, crossing our fingers and hoping that somehow in the busyness of it all we will grow into reflecting Christ’s heart. This simply will not happen by chance.

My One Word is Grow. I realized that I can't GROW unless I'm intentional about it. So that's what I'm trying to do. I spend so much of my time "responding to whatever comes my way" always hoping "to survive." That's why life goes too fast. I was out of balance and I don't function well when I live in survival mode.

The next morning I intentionally woke up early and tip toed quietly down to the kitchen before waking up the kids and opened my Bible.

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Quiet you with his love.

Quiet me with his love.

Much like I swoop up Little Dude when he gets hurt and hug him and kiss him and apply the "orange bumpy" ice to his boo-boo to quiet him, my Heavenly Father is here to swoop in and quiet me, comfort me with his love too.

Not only that but I need to remember that my Heavenly Father is with me; delighting in me; loving me; rejoicing in what I do. Always. But especially in those moments when I am feeling overwhelmed and tired.

I don't always want to be intentional about opening my Bible. But the day is always better when I do.

Conversations in his Heart & Allergies

2011-02-09T15:09:00.000-06:00

Little Dude: Do you want another baby?

Me: Well, if God wants us to have another baby, I would love it!

Little Dude: God does want you to!

Me: He does?! Have you been in conversation with God?

Little Dude: Yeah. God in our hearts.

Me: So you'd like to be a big brother, huh?

Little Dude: Yeah. I want another brother.

Me: Well sometimes God gives us little girls though. What would you think of a sister?

Little Dude: No. I don't want a gurl.

Me: Why not?

Little Dude: Girls make me sneeze.

Did you know.....

2011-01-25T13:15:00.000-06:00

...that the year is almost 1/12th of the way over??? Can you believe it??? I haven't written one post all year!!! So, HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR!!!!

...that I have decided not to make a list of goals and resolutions for this year??? Instead I've decided to focus on One Word for the entire year. My word is GROW. I don't want to grow in height (or weight for that matter!!!) But I want to GROW deeper in my relationships, GROW more intentional in the time I give to my family, GROW in wisdom and understanding of God, GROW in how I am able to be a servant leader.

...that I have a new job??? Our church has been part of a 7-charge Cooperative Parish for 12 years. Last year I was on staff with that Parish as the Youth Coordinator. After much praying and deliberating our Church decided to step away from the Parish, hire a full-time pastor, a secretary and a Children/Youth Leader. My position with the Parish dissolved at the end of the year and I am now on staff and serving my home church as the Children/Youth Leader.

...that we don't have TV hooked up in our house??? When we moved, there was not option for switching our cable to the new house. So we could either go with Dish or get a converter box which would allow us to get the main local stations. We decided not to do either. The television is hooked up for movies and video games on the weekend. It has been so freeing to not be owned by a Prime Time line up!!!! We have been spending more intentional time together as a family and as a couple. When we do watch a movie it is usually together.

...that we have been playing a lot of board games lately??? Little Dude really likes Memory and Sorry!

"I WIN! I WIN!!!"

....that it is a lot of fun to put on your swim trunks and "swim" in mommy and daddy's bath tub on a day off from school with your brother??

Christmas Blessings

2011-01-01T15:06:00.001-06:00

What a great first Christmas we had here in the Yellow House on the Prairie.

So many sweet blessings from the past several weeks.

Decorating our new home.

Baking and spending time with friends.

Sharing our goodies with our new neighbors.

A Cow

Watching The Boy perform his last middle school winter concert.

A Shepard

A Wise Man

And one really excited Joseph

Lighting the Christ candle on our Advent wreath

Having a quiet, relaxing Christmas day at home with our boys

Looking for the Pickle!

LOTS of Good food

Visiting with my brothers and their family

Sharing the reason for the season with my boys.

Listening to Little Dude retell it.

Reflecting on the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that came into the world in that manger

Celebrating the manger because of the cross.

Oh, Christmas Tree....

2010-12-18T00:17:00.000-06:00

Our tree was up with lights strung. The decorations weren't up yet. There just hadn't seemed to be enough time.

We spent time visiting with friends in their homes one weekend. The first evening I took notice of the tree in the living room. Decorated to match the room in a crisp apple red. The gifts under the tree wrapped perfectly to match. We spent the rest of the evening in their beautifully, newly remodeled basement family room. In that room sat a tree decorated in blue; the perfect accent color to the brown hues in the rest of the room. The gifts also wrapped to match the tree they sat under. They also had a beautifully decorated tree in the master bedroom.

The second evening we spent in the new home of our very good friends. The previous owners of the home could not take the their Christmas tree with them so our friends were able to purchase it and use. I think it was like 13 feet high!!! I really don't know how tall it was but my friend needed a ladder to decorate it!!! The towering, giant evergreen adorned in red was breathtaking!

As I lay in bed that night thinking back on the trees we had seen I realized I was having tree envy. The trees that I had seen over the weekend all could have been in Christmas magazines. Mine sat in our living room, undecorated, with lights falling off from curious cats. I knew it would be decorated eventually but my tree would not be fit for a magazine.

I sighed. "Everyone has such pretty Christmas trees."

"I think your tree says a lot about who you are." My Sweetie commented.

I had decided that today was the day that the tree would be decorated. I carried up the containers that held our decorations from our basement and gently pulled them out one by one holding them for just a second before placing them on the table.

There were several "Babies First Christmas" ornaments. Ornaments my mom bought for our boys every year with their names and dates on them. Ornaments that My Sweeties mom either bought or made our boys every year. Ornaments that were My Sweeties when he was a child. Ornaments that we brought home with us from Disney world. Ornaments with younger, sweet faces of our boys sprinkled with glitter. Ornaments that were made by our boys and given to us as gifts.

It was like opening a box of memories. Everyone of these ornaments had either been given or made with love. Everyone of these ornaments had a story behind them.

At the end of the night, after the precious hands of anxious boys had carefully placed all of those memories on the tree so lovingly...

I stepped back and took a look.

It was just as breathtaking as the ones I had seen just a week ago. It was sitting exactly where I had envisioned it to sit for our first Christmas in our yellow house on the prairie. It was full of love, full of memories and looked so much more beautiful and more perfect than I had envisioned.

The Christma Story cubed

2010-12-16T14:46:00.003-06:00

Here are 3 different videos that I've seen posted on Facebook recently. All tell the Christmas Story in a different way.   I couldn't decide which one to post so I chose all three. Enjoy.

This one made me chuckle a couple of times....


What if....Mary and Joesph had a facebook??? I thought this one was pretty powerful.



And THIS is really what it's all about....

Reminders from God

2010-12-13T23:25:00.001-06:00

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel" Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel: God with us.

I was rolling this concept around in my head this evening as I drove through the dark night across the Mississippi bridge on my way home from running errands trying to "get done" with Christmas.

The hustle and bustle of this busy time of year frustrates me more and more every year. I'm trying to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas. I'm trying to create memories that they will cherish when they are older. I do want to give them that warm and fuzzy happy Christmas morning feeling that every parent wants their child to have. I want to be a blessing to others so I mail Christmas Cards, bake goodies to give to friends and neighbors, buy gifts for the children on the angel tree. There are Christmas programs and concerts that the kids are in. Sometimes I find myself longing for the peace and quiet of January.

Through all of that, I need to keep reminding myself what is really important and that God is with us.

Maybe I should restate that.

I need to BE reminded of what is important and that God is with me.

Today I was looking out the kitchen window and off in the distance I saw some sort of a hawk or eagle soaring in the air. As it came closer to my home I could clearly see the majestic bald head of the eagle just before it flew over my house.

Almost instantly Isaiah 40:31 popped into my head.

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint"

God is with me in this season of busy and will keep me going.

This evening BuhBuh asked if he could wrap up one of his old toys and put it under the tree for Little Dude. I really wanted to say no because it is a similar thing that Little Dude is getting on Christmas. But I couldn't crush his gift-giving heart. He later told me that Little Dude would really enjoy it much more then him. He also whispered something in my ear that he'd like to give The Boy.

God is with me and I can see Him in the heart and actions of my precious 8 year old.

As I hurried into town trying to keep all of the things of my to-do list straight I head the lyrics of a song playing on the radio,

"Father, let the world just fade away
Let me feel your presence in this place
Lord, I've never been so weary
How I need to know you're near me
Father, let the world just fade away" (He Is by Mark Schultz)

God is with me, calming me and centering me back on what is really important.

On my way home the song that is the inspiration for a sermon that I'm working on came on.

God is with me as I remember this one-more-thing-on-my-plate thing, reminding me that it will be Him speaking through me on that Sunday morning.

And as I crossed the bridge on the last leg of my journey home I saw off in the distance a shooting star. It took my breath away. I was amazed. A bald eagle and a shooting star in one day!!! WOW!

As if on cue, just after the shooting star vanished from sight another song on the radio.

Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky
To show me You are with me
I I I can't deny
No I can't deny that You are right here with me
You've opened my eyes
So I can see You all around me
Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me
That You are with me (Light Up the Sky The Afters)

Apparently today I needed a lot of reminders that God is with me.

But I am so thankful for a God who is ever-present in my life; thankful for a God who loves me so much to keep reminding me until I get it; thankful for a God who is with me even when life is busy and I can't keep anything straight in my head; thankful for the baby who came in the manger to live among us, and die for us and still be with us.

Car Talk

2010-12-08T20:27:00.000-06:00

The following car talk is all from one ride, all within a few minutes of each other and all completely random.

BuhBuh: Who anointed me?

Me: Um, you mean baptized??

BuhBuh: YEAH!!!! Baptized!!!

*******************************************************

Do you recall this recent Car Talk?? Apparently some things have changed.

BuhBuh: Yeah, I don't wanna be a cop anymore because all 'dey really do is eat doughnuts. ***lip smacking sound***

********************************************************
Me: Hey!! Did you use your giant pencil at school today??

BuhBuh: Yup!

Me: Did anyone laugh??

BuhBuh: Nope, but they were jealous!!!!

Ready to Learn

2010-12-07T15:08:00.000-06:00

"I'm ready for school," BuhBuh announced as he pulled out a larger than life pencil.

He had gotten it as a Christmas gift from his Grandma and Grandpa.

I was attempting to get some breakfast ideas out of him as he pretended to do "homework" with this enormous pencil.

"BuhBuh, are you listening," I asked.

"I'm doin' my homework," he let me know.

**sigh** He's a nut. It's really hard not to laugh.

Different

2010-12-03T22:26:00.000-06:00

Me: BuhBuh! Were you suppose to be dressed up for the field trip to see the play today.

BuhBuh: Yeah

Me: Why didn't you tell me?

BuhBuh: I like to be different!!! **pause** Just the way God made me.

Me: ***grin***

Lead Me

2010-11-19T08:04:00.001-06:00

We had a MOPS speaker talk to us about marriage; one of my top three things to read about or hear a speaker present on being that I am constantly trying to be more of the wife that God had intended me to be to my husband. I fall short. Daily. So when I heard our speaker was presenting on marriage I hunkered down with my pen and paper ready to take notes and be inspired.

She gave us word pictures.

Mirror/Selfishness: We often times point out the flaws we see in our husband. But instead of pointing the mirror at us, we needd to turn that mirror around and look at ourselves and see what it is revealing about us. She gave us a quote from an author which said, "One of the best wedding gifts God gave you was a full-length mirror called your spouse. Had there been a card attached it would have said, "here's to helping you discover what you're REALLY like." (Gary and Betsy Ricucci)

Chairs: What chair would our marriage sit in? Chair #1 Exciting! Love is new-hot, passionate, all consuming, giving, thoughtful. Chari #2 Satissfying, Fullfilling-Love is not so new, but really good. It's sometimes hot and passionate; it's been tested, good communication, best friends. Chair #3 Routine-Love has grown stale, mediocre-not much attnetion has been paid to it so it's getting pretty mediocre, mundane. Chair #4 Dead-Love is pretty dead. You may still be together, but it's on the rocks as far as real fun, satisfaction, joy, friendship. You're in the chair that no only you think you're in, but in the one your spouse thinks you're in. (EEK!)

Love Bank: We can't be writing checks on an account where no deposits are being made. Eventually the bank will be dry.

Leftovers: Our spouses often get the leftovers of our life when everything else is taken care of. While children and our jobs/volunteer work may take a lot of time, our spouses need to be our top priority after Jesus. Our spouses deserve our best, not our leftovers.

I didn't leave MOPS that Tuesday with the same warm and fuzzy, refreshed and filled up feeling I usually have. I left feeling very convicted. Which is good because I KNOW I needed it!

So I went on my way with my day with this feeling of conviction in my heart and I was ready to be the wife God intended me to be for my husband.

Unfortunately Satan was ready to pounce.

And around 5 o'clock Satan struck and arrived as an unwanted dinner guest.

I was frustrated with My Sweetie and grouchy with the kids and my mind was whirling with all kinds of not so nice things and my heart was hurting.

Then those word pictures stared to flash in my mind;chairs, love bank, leftovers!

Ok God, yeah,I get it but, but, but what about me? What happens when I feel like I'm getting the leftovers????

Another word picture flashed....selfishness and mirror!

Ugh!

I was feeling defeated and hopeless and I just wanted to go to bed and start again the next day.

Then God reminded me of a song,one I thought my husband "just needed to hear".

So I pulled it up and listened. As I listened God convicted me again and that mirror I had been pointing towards my husband was now pointing at me; I was the one who needed to listen all along.

So I wanted to share with all of you....maybe its another God thing, maybe one of you need it too. There is a lyric which refers to "my wife" but if YOU are the wife, you can easily change it to "my husband" and it still applies.

The end of the song is my favorite, its a prayer; one that I repeated over and over that evening in my kitchen. It's a call out to God that we can't be the wives and mothers, husbands and fathers that God has created us and called us to be without HIM leading us.

Doors

2010-11-15T08:04:00.008-06:00

We walked through the doors of that little blue house on Walnut Street in May of 1997. I was 20, My Sweetie was 22. He had just graduated from college, we had been married for just under a year and we had a 6 month old baby boy.

I remember walking in those doors and feeling like I was finally able to breath for the first time in about a year. It had been a whirlwind.

Just a year prior I was finishing up my sophomore year at college and planning a wedding. We had gotten married in June; I had moved from my parents’ home into a small home of My Sweetie’s parents just after we were married which we lived in for about 2 months. We then moved about an hour away to college where My Sweetie finished his senior year and worked. Every weekend we packed up and came home to be with family so I could work. In November we had a baby. I had gotten a job back home so I moved in with my parents about 6 weeks before My Sweeties graduation going back to our apartment on my days off. My Sweetie finished college in May and then we packed up and moved again into the little blue house on Walnut Street when he graduated.

As we walked through the door I instantly felt at ease; I finally felt like I could start to get settled into our life. Even though we would share the space with his family for a few more months until their house was finished being built, it didn’t matter because I knew I was home.

Just inside the doors of that little blue house a lot of growing took place over those 13 ½ years; much like a baby growing in a mother’s womb; warm and safe, growing until it was time to leave the safety and warmth of the only thing that baby knew into something else warm and safe-a mother’s arms.

Our maturity and wisdom grew; our marriage grew into something more beautiful than any young, scared, 19 year old bride could have ever dreamt; our family grew to 3 boys; our boys grew more quickly than anyone ever told me they would; our faith grew into something I never could have even wrapped my mind around all those year ago.

Then at just the right time we walked out of the doors of the safety and warmth of the only house our children had known, the house where we had spent most of our marriage, the house that had been cozy and comfortable (literally and financially) through the doors of another house that was warm and safe; The yellow house on the prairie.

On a beautiful Friday afternoon in October our family pulled into the drive way of this yellow house on the prairie. I unloaded the kids, their exciting squeals as I set them free made me smile. I filled my arms with the first things to be carried into our new home and began to walk into the garage (Grin!!).

“WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!!” My Sweetie exclaimed, “Put your coffee down. Put your stuff down.” He said as he practically took it all out of my hands and put it down on the ground.

My handsome groom led me to the front of the house, scooped me up into his arms and carried me over the threshold of the door to yellow house on the prairie.

“Welcome home,” he said and he bent down to kiss me.

Home indeed is where we were and it felt good!!!

Although that little blue house on Walnut Street was the place we called home for so many years and the place where all of our babies took their first steps and celebrated their first birthdays it’s really only a house. All of those memories belong to me and my family, not the house.

The house is not what makes a home a home. A home is created in the living, loving, growing and creating of memories by the family that lives just through the door of a house.

Happy 14th

2010-11-11T15:50:00.000-06:00

Dear (sweet, God-Loving, smart,) Boy of mine,

Happy 14th Birthday.

We were driving and discussing how you don't have a cell phone a few weeks back and I said, "I will consider allowing you to have a cell phone next year when you turn 15."

I stopped.

I gasped.

I couldn't believe that i had said those words!!!

"Next year when you turn 15!!!??"

You were only 13, but only weeks away from a birthday.

Wow.

This fall you entered another school season of being the "big man on campus" LITERALLY!!! Not only are you a top dog 8th grader at school, but BOY oh BOY you have GROWN. Last year at your birthday you were about caught up to your ole' mom in height. This year there is no need to squint. You have surpassed me in height. Even when I'm in heels you are taller than me. I know, I know, one of these days I will find myself looking up at your brothers too, but let me get use to looking up to you first, ok? :)

Not only have you grown physically this past year, you have really matured from a kid into a teenager. You continue to make me proud in all that you do. You chose to spend your spring break volunteering for a lunch program for kids who may not otherwise receive lunch on days when they aren't in school. You ran the powerpoint for VBS at our church and run it every Sunday for service. You chose to spend most of your summer growing in your faith by attending a leadership camp, going to Green Pastures for a Martial Arts camp focused on Defending your Faith and serving in St. Paul, MN on a mission trip. We actually had conversations about you wanting to be away for another week of camp this summer but I selfishly wanted you home instead and wanted you to have some down time. You are truly your happiest when you are in those settings among other peers who are strong in their faith and Loving the Lord. I have been blessed to be with you a few times, watching from the back, seeing the different person you are there compared to the person who deals with the world within his school walls. It's hard to be a teenager trying to fit in. You are choosing to store up your treasures in heaven, not here. You will look different to your peers who have made and will continue to make different choices. I will continue to pray for you so that you can find the perfect balance between continuing to glorify God in your choices and feeling like you fit in among your peers. God has great plans for you, I just know it. I'm excited to to watch and be your support and encourager.

You gave football a try again this year.

You remained in one piece!! You played hard and really began to understand the game. Last year when I'd pick you up from practice you were beat. This year when I'd pick you up from practice you were pumped up!!! I had the best time watching and cheering for you from the sidelines. This was the first time a fall sport ended that I was a little sad to see it end. I had so much fun watching you play football and I thank God you didn't get hurt. It's rough out there!

Even though you are a cool teenager now, I did enjoy seeing you "play" this summer while we were on vacation. You and your brother just loved digging in the sand along Lake Michigan. Don't forget to be a kid. I often tell you to "Just enjoy where you are now at the age you are now" because I don't want you to miss out on the blessings of today. Life is short and you will be grown up before you know it and needing to make adult decisions. So keep on digging.

By the time I sit down to write you next birthday letter you will be in high school. It seems like I was just freighting over you beginning middle school. SEE! Life does go fast.

You aren't a big fan of mom's hugs anymore. I thought that maybe I should just stop if you didn't like them and figure out a different way to let you know I love you. But God placed in my life the wisdom of another mom who had raised boys as well. She saw me hugging Little Dude as he ran into preschool one morning and she told me, "Don't ever stop hugging your boys. I had boys and even if they don't like it, keep hugging them because one day they may want you to hug them again and if you have stopped hugging them you'll never know."

So curl up in the fetal position all you want, I will never stop hugging you. I don't care how tall you get, I don't care how old you get, I will never stop hugging you.

Never forget how special you are to me...YOU made me a mom and I LOVE being a mom; I LOVE being YOUR mom. I love our good conversations, I love shopping with you, I love watching you play football, I love watching you play nicely with your brothers, I love watching you grow in your faith, I love your humor. I will never stop cheering for you.

Lots of Love and Happy Birthday!!!

Mom

Even There...

2010-10-25T17:19:00.001-05:00

"Even there your hand will lead me"

Psalm 139:10

I was heading home from my first MOPS meeting of the year. This verse was rolling around in my head. It was our theme verse for the year. (Isn't it a GOOD one!!!)

It was a beautiful September Tuesday afternoon. I kept peeking over my shoulder to see if Little Dude had fallen asleep yet. It wasn't until we reached our little town that sits along the banks of the Mississippi river that his eyes began to get droopy. I decided to drive around just a bit longer to make sure he was good and asleep before going home and carrying him in the house.

As I was driving I had this nudging to "drive by the house"

"Even there your hand will lead me"

Not my house. But a house that My Sweetie and I had looked at back in April.

We had looked at the house several times, taken our parents through and then just dropped the subject.

We didn't need to move. But for the past 3 year have been causally looking on and off at houses.

While visiting with his barber (ehem, who just so happens to also be a realtor! Small town livin' IS the best!), My Sweetie learned that seller was to desperate to sell. We knew that they had re-listed the house with a new real estate agency (the same agency that the barber/realtor guy works for, of course.) and had significantly dropped the price since we had looked at it last. We had driven out to the house Sunday after Church and our interest in this home was perking up a bit.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

As I turned onto the long, narrow country road that leads to the housing addition that the house was in, I giggled thinking how funny it would be if My Sweetie just happened to have driven out there also. Perhaps THAT'S why I had such a strong nudging to drive out to the house.

As I approached the neighborhood I could see the back of the house. I gasped just a moment and in my head said, "That is MY house!"

"Even there your hand will lead me"

I turned into the neighborhood and then my heart stopped.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

The sign was GONE!

The Realtor lock box was GONE!!!!

My stomach sank and I was ANGRY!!!

"Even there your hand will lead me"

I attempted to call My Sweetie but only got his voice mail so left a cheery, "HEY!! How's it going." message.

Two year ago there were two houses that we were interested in. We were ready to put an offer in on one and someone else did it before we did and we didn't do anything about it. We put an offer on a second home and shortly after 2 more people put an offer in our the same home. Our offer was countered but we chose to keep our offer on the table as it was.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

So you can imagine how frustrated I was to see a third house that we were interested in to no longer have a sign in front. A THIRD closed door???? UGH!!!

"Even there your hand will lead me"

When I got home My Sweetie was on the phone. Which would explain why I had gotten his voice mail. After he was off the phone I told him he needed to call the Realtor and see what was going on!!!!

Apparently the seller had decided to unlist it briefly to refinance the home since the rates were so low and since no one had been interested. He was preparing to use it as a rental when his contract expired with the real estate agency.

My Sweetie just so happened to live next door to the guy who lived next door to the house that was for sale and called him.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

He was able to get the sellers personal phone number. They talked for quite awhile, My Sweetie told him he was interested in the house, and would like to work with him privately. The next day the seller called My Sweetie saying he was going to re-list the house and if we'd like to work with him privately he'd be willing to do so once his contract expired in November.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

This sounded like a GREAT plan to us! We had time to prep our current home and could really look hard and close at our finances and be prepared!!!!

The weight had been lifted.

I was free to plan BuhBuh's birthday and get back to enjoying life.

Less than 48 hours after the perfect plan was in place the phone rang.

It was the seller.

He had received an offer.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

OF COURSE he received an offer, because WEEEEE WERE INTERESTED!!!!! ****sigh****

"Even there your hand will lead me"

He told us if we were interested that he would wait for us to make an offer but we had to do it quickly. Otherwise he was going to accept the offer that had been made.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

So here we were feeling rushed, overwhelmed and unprepared to make such a huge decision in just a few short hours.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

The realtor put together paper work for us and we met him at the house that evening. We went over the paperwork carefully, asked questions and decided to walk through the house one more time. Then came the time to sign the offer. My Sweetie froze. He was thinking and re-thinking and maybe even over-thinking a wee bit but I was not going to sign or tell him to sign a thing. He needed to be the one to sign first and to take this first step. He is and probably always will be the main provider for our family. The financial burden rests solely on him. I wanted the house. Yes. But I wanted a happy husband more. I don't want him to feel like he's working to make a house payment. That is not what he wants and it's not what I want for him or our family.

He decided that he needed some more time; that he would sign it sometime the next day if the window was still open. I assured him that it was OK.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

The realtor turned off the lights to the house, we walked outside and My Sweetie sat down on the front porch with the boys. The realtor walked out, locked up the door and stood there for a moment. He said good bye and started to leave.

Before he could leave, My Sweetie stopped him saying he'd sign the papers. Back into the house we went, flipped on the lights and signed the papers.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

**deep breath**

When we were done My Sweetie asked if we could have some time and lock up when we left. After the realtor left we went and sat in front of the fireplace (SQUEAL!!!) as a family and My Sweetie just took a deep breath and told the boys that this wasn't something that happened everyday and it was something he wanted them to remember. We walked through the house one more time before driving away.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

By 9 a.m. the next morning we had a verbal acceptance from the seller. Then Monday morning the offer was officially signed.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

We have been frantically packing, repairing, cleaning, getting appraised and getting finances in order.

Today we officially closed a new house and this weekend we will move our children from the only home they have ever known into a new home.

And despite the crazy that has taken over our house in addition to the normal crazy of the fall season I know that.....

"Even there your hand will lead me"

I know that people buy houses all the time. I know that new home dreams are fulfilled for both people who have a relationship with Jesus and those who don't. I know that new home dreams are crushed for both people who have a relationship with Jesus and those who don't. Things either go your way or they don't.

But I also know that often times people only cry out to God in their time of deep need and forget to give thanks for the blessings that God's hand has lead them too as well. Believe me, I too have been guilty of this.

I know, with all my heart, that the only way things have turned out the way they have for our family has been by His hand leading us all along; leading us through the dozens of houses we've looked at, leading us though the heartbreak of house offers that didn't work out, leading us through blueprints possibilities for the house we are in now that didn't work out, leading us in ways that we may not have recognized, all so we could be right here with this blessing in our life.

So I'm recognizing His hand and thanking Him for this blessing. As we move forward with this move and with trying to sell our current home, I will trust that.

"Even there your hand will lead me"

My challenge to you...Look for the places in your life that God's hand has been leading YOU. They may be big. They may be small. They may seem insignificant. They may be in the middle of a valley. His hand has been guiding you all along to this point, can you look back on something and see it now? We can't appreciate all that God does for us, all the ways that His hand leads us if we don't look.

Car Talk

2010-10-24T20:00:00.001-05:00

Little Dude: OOOHHH NOOOO!!!!! LOOK!!! LOOK!!!! LOOK at 'dat tire!!! It fell off!!!!!

**he said as we drove behind a jeep with the spare tire attached to the outside of the jeep***

A little further down the road....

Little Dude: There's the tractor store!

Me: Yep! You're right!

Little Dude: Daddy's been 'dere before.

Me: He has?

Little Dude: I been 'dere before too.

Me: You have???

Little Dude: Not BuhBuh, Not you. Just us.

One of those days....

2010-10-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

Morning snuggles and giggles with BuhBuh and Little Dude.

My Sweetie making breakfast.

Enough time before the bus to read two stories from our Children's Bible (which means more snuggling).

Little Dude entertaining himself nicely so the Mommy could be productive.

Pumpkin Farm visit.

Bunnies.

Goats.

Chickens. Cows. Horses.

Hay Bale Maze.

Apple Orchard. Treats. Llamas, donkeys, more goats, more chickens, more cows.

First 100% on 2nd grade spelling test.

Play outside.

Leaves.

Photo Ops.

The Boy going to fall Dance and last home football game.

Little Dude falling asleep early.

Watching a movie with BuhBuh and My Sweetie (more snuggling).

Bedtime conversation.

BuhBuh: "This was a GREAT day!!!"

Me: "Why is that?"

BuhBuh: "Because I got an A on my spelling, you picked me up from the bus stop and I got to watch a movie all by myself with you and daddy."

I'd have to agree.

It was a GREAT day!!

Faith of a Child

2010-10-21T10:37:00.001-05:00

I lead the children's sermon in church on Sunday. We talked about prayer. When, where, how. Basic stuff.

I wanted the kids to have a fun way to practice praying at home; different then the way they might pray during dinner or at bedtime.

I put together little bags of skittles with a card color coded with different ways they can pray for each colored skittle. I told them that before they could eat a skittle they had to match it to the prayer, pray and THEN eat it.

As we sat in the pews for the rest of the service I glanced over at BuhBuh. He was kneeling on the ground, picking up skittles, reading the card, praying and then eating the skittles.

I couldn't help but smile a proud mama smile.

It was adorable.

The kids have been enjoying having all of the leftover skittles at home this week. They have continued to make sure to match the color of the skittle up to the prayer and pray before eating them.

Little Dude asked for a skittle the other day.

He chose yellow...his favorite color.

I told him that he needed to pray and tell God he loved him.

He folded his little hands and said, "Dear God, I wuv you sooooo much. Amen."

It was precious. It was sweet.

He threw his hands in the air and proudly declared, "IIIIII DID IT ALL BY MYSELF!!!!"

Then we high fived.

I love teaching kids, especially my kids about God and Jesus and how loved they are by them. I love to watch their eyes light up. I love to see their faith in action. I love that they get it, sometimes even better than I do. There is something about the innocence of a child that helps them to see better than we adults do the love God has for us. Sometimes I think they just might grasp the concept better than we do.

What is it that happens as we get older??

Why do we loose that child-like faith??

Why does it get harder and harder to understand and get our heads around God's Grace and love for us.

My eyes have seen the ugliness; my ears have heard the harsh words; my heart has been broken.

There is so much sadness, so much tragedy and at times so little hope.

Satan's work is easy when we allow the way of the world consume us.

We allow Satan to harden our hearts.

No wonder it's hard to understand.

But then I hear The Boy recite word for word 1 Samuel 3:10 "Speak, for your servant is listening."as I am reading that story to BuhBuh in a different room and I get it.

I see BuhBuh show God's love to neighbors through a simple act and I get it.

I watch Little Dude lead dinner time prayers every night and I get it.

Then I read The Word.

"For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me."

Matthew 18:2-5 (The Message)

And I get it.

Make it Count

2010-10-20T15:05:00.003-05:00

I live about 15-20 minutes away from a full grocery store. So when I "go into town" to get groceries I really try to make my trips count!

The other day I was short some ingredients needed for a potluck dish.

Usually I would send My Sweetie a list and have him do it, but I really didn't have anything else going on and it was a beautiful day. So, into the car we jumped and into town we drove.

Little Dude found a cart "just his size" and it was THE BEST shopping trip ever!!!

He was so adorable and good. He pushed that cart around like a pro, making sure not to crash and following directions perfectly!

Usually I push the big mommy sized cart and he helps by putting the groceries in the cart.

But this day was different.

He pushed and I put the groceries in the cart and he said, "You be my helper."

**giggle**

When we were all finished with our list he unloaded the entire cart so we could check out.

I asked him if he would pay and he seemed confused, so I told him not to worry about it this time.

I was given the total.

I opened my wallet.

**GASP!!!**

My one and only card that I use wasn't there!!!!!

EEK!

I had no cash.

I had no check.

I was embarrassed!

UGH!

I guess I wasn't going to be paying afterall.

Little Dude was very confused as to WHY we weren't getting the groceries that had just shopped for.

Poor Kid.

So, despite my EXTREME frustration (at myself because I had left my card in the back pocket of a pair of pants) to make our trip into town count we stopped off at the park to play on our way home.

Then sent The Daddy a text with the list so he could pick up the things we needed.

Each day is such a gift from God. Sometimes they don't go the way we had planed. But when we don't make each moment count by making the best of the situation we are in, then we might just miss out on something precious that God had planned for us all along.

If you were a detective....

2010-10-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

....and you ran out of chalk on a crime scene WHAT WOULD YOU do????

Here's an idea.....

look around and create an outline with whatever you see laying around.

Might I suggest blocks and trains???

When I walked into my living room and saw this I just started laughing!!!

I'm not sure what made me laugh more.

The fact that Little Dude laid there allowing BuhBuh to do this.

Or the fact that BuhBuh thought to do this.

Silly boys!

Good Neighbor

2010-10-17T14:09:00.000-05:00

Huffing and puffing up our hill on our way home from the homecoming parade, BuhBuh said, "Mom, we haven't taken anything over to the new neighbors house yet."

He was right. In the craziness that consumes our lives we forgotten to properly welcome our new neighbor to the neighborhood.

"You know mom, we could take them one of the pumpkin pies you made today," he said.

I had two fresh made pies sitting on our kitchen counter. We really didn't need two of them, I suppose.

"I could tell them, sorry this was late, and hand them the pie," he said.

"And don't forget to welcome them to the neighborhood," I added.

After we conquered our hill my mind switched gears to the next thing; packing everyone up and heading to the schools to pick up The Boy who had just marched in the parade.

"Mom. Should we wrap the pie up in foil?" he asked as I guzzled down a gallon of water.

"Uh, SURE!!" I had already forgotten about the talk of giving one of our pies to the new neighbor.

We wrapped up the pie, practiced a couple of times what he would say and I sent him down the street.

It wasn't long before he came skipping back clearly proud of the good deed he had done.

Homecoming

2010-10-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

Last week was homecoming week for our school. It's a fun week at all 3 schools. Each school celebrates with Spirit Week with a different theme to each day. BuhBuh participated. (No pictures) The Boy did not. Kids look forward to the early dismissal from school on Friday so that everyone can head downtown for the parade.

It isn't quite as spectacular as I remember the homecoming parades from when I was younger were. But it isn't lacking in spirit or in candy!

Since The Boy is in 8th Grade this year he got to march with the high school for band. I could hear the sound of the drum several blocks away which is always so exciting to hear at a parade; it's when the excitement and anticipation kicks in. It was even more exciting knowing that The Boy was one helping to set the beat of the parade. In my excitement, I missed the photo opportunity.....this was the best that I could do. He's on the far right.

As an 8th grader, The Boy also got to play with the high school during the pre-game out on the field. They lined up motorcycles, the band and then the cheerleaders for the football players to run through at the opening of the game. He said that was pretty cool to be a part of but got kind of tired of hitting his drum for the entire team. HA!!! Then just before the game the gave us a nice firework show.

As I sat in the football stadium watching the group of high schoolers cheer from the stands (lookin all 80's) on their team, the football players making touchdowns and the cheerleaders cheering, I realized that my senior homecoming was 16 years ago!!! And then I realized that in a year it will be my son's first high school homecoming.

Apple Orchard

2010-10-10T19:13:00.000-05:00

I was away for a weekend in September. Which just so happened to be the last weekend for picking apples. So my family did what any apple pickin' lovin' family would do. They went. But at least My Sweetie made sure to capture the moments that I missed!!!

Car Talk

2010-10-08T18:13:00.001-05:00

BuhBuh: Hey Mom! Will you make my bed? If you doooooo....I'll make dinnnnnerrrr.

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8 is GREAT!!!

2010-10-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from BuhBuh's birthday a few weeks ago!!!! I can't believe he's 8.


Birthday morning. He woke me up around 5 wondering if it was time to open gifts.


Such a happy birthday boy

Our traditional Birthday morning breakfast.


He got to go on a field trip at school on his birthday!!! HOW COOL!!! AND I got to spend the entire day with him. Bonus!


Sharing his Birthday treat at School

We celebrated again with grandmas, grandpas, aunties and cousins with a dinner that weekend.

Car Talk

2010-10-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Me: What do you want to be when you grow up?

BuhBuh: A police officer.

Me: Why??

BuhBuh: Because the can drive a little over the speed limit, chase people and they have a dog....and a gun.....and a taser.

Me: **BIG SIGH and small smile** How about YOU Little Dude?

Little Dude: A yellow car and a yellow house.

2010-09-29T13:20:00.000-05:00

Dear Blog,

Don't think I don't love you. Life is crazy.

Life is very good. But VERY crazy. I have so many stories to share. But they will have to wait until.....hmmmm????

Stay tuned.....

Sincerely,
Laundry Trenches Reporter

Birthday Letter

2010-09-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

Dear BuhBuh,

Happy Birthday!!!! A few days late....but I was having too much fun to write you a letter.

I hope you enjoyed waking up to the decorated house the morning of your birthday. But did you HAVE to wake me up at 5 a.m.???? I know, you were excited. It's really adorable. I am glad that you enjoyed your new skate board. It's been cute watching you "practice" in the living room. You were not happy about me putting the rug back down because it took away your rolling space.

I had such a good day with you on Thursday going with you on a field trip. You sat with me on the bus and held my hand and had no problem holding my hand while we walked around the county fair grounds. Thank you sweet boy, that made my day. We won't talk about how rough of an evening we had that night. It broke my heart. But I will always be more stubborn that you. Don't forget. OK???

We celebrated as always with a family dinner. You asked for a "make your own" taco bar. YUM!!! Good call!!! You also asked your Gma B to make her cherry meat balls, your Gma G to make deviled eggs and your GGma G to make cream puffs. When I was going over the plans for the evening and telling you when we'd open presents, you very sweetly said, "That's only if I get presents mom. I might not get any. Maybe a card would be nice." I loved that you weren't "expecting" anything. BUT, you did get lots of good gifts.

As a 7 year old you played soccer, baseball and took two sessions of swimming lessons over the summer. It is so much fun watching you play soccer. You clearly understand the game. During baseball you had the opportunity to play catcher a lot which you enjoyed. You still haven't moved on to the next swimming level, but that's OK because I can tell you are getting really close!!!

You tend to make friends very easily. Keeping up with YOUR social calendar some weeks makes me laugh but I'm glad that you are having fun with friends. I fear that you are going to be one of those cool, popular kids. I don't know if I'll know how to parent a cool, popular kid because that was NOT me in school!!! You still crack us up with your wit and sense of humor. I don't write as many of them down as I should.

You love any one on one time that you get with mom and dad. You are a great helper to us and to Gpa B when you want to be. You and Little Dude are such good friends most of the time. I love to watch you guys play and have fun with each other. It makes me smile. I hope the two of you can always be close. You and The Boy have fewer good moments than I'd like. But I am hopeful as you guys get older you too will be friends.

1st Grade was a little bit of a struggle. You worked with both a speech teacher and the Title 1 teacher and did some other small group work. It seems that working in a smaller group setting works better for you than in a large class setting. Once you started in the Title 1 reading, it wasn't long until you came home saying "I LOVE READING!" I was so happy to hear those words. The teacher you have for that, also goes to our church, and I can understand why you like it so much. You and I certainly have some hard times doing homework at night. I really wish we didn't have to struggle like that, but we have to get the work done. It's hard to come home and be tired and have to do more work when you just want to relax. I know we will find our groove. I know we will figure out what works best for you. I know you will be just fine.

You are such a sweet blessing in my life. I have enjoyed watching you grow. But I wish that it didn't have to happen so fast. Because I am wiser than I once was, I am soaking in the little moments that are precious. Yes. I do take a lot of pictures. But I just don't want to forget. Ever. I even love the silly face pictures you make and the I love when you specifically ask for me to take your picture. You were such a happy beginning to a new start in our life. You are my daily reminder of just how big God's grace, love and forgiveness really is.

I have a secret....I know you know it because I tell you the secret every night so I suppose it's not THAT much of a secret anymore, is it. I LOVE YOU! And, I have one more secret. GOD LOVES YOU TOO!!! OH! I have ONE more secret. Even though I love you soooo much, God loves YOU WAAAAY more than mommy or daddy or anyone else here ever could. Don't forget OK. And just to make sure, I will continue to remind you everyday before you go to school and every night before you go to bed.

8 is GREAT BuhBuh!!!!! Let's have fun!!!!! I can't wait to watch you grow and learn and love and play this next year.
I love you oooooddddles!!! Happy Birthday!!
Mommy

2010-09-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

*****I wrote this yesterday morning and decided not to post it. Since then this man has decided not to follow through with what he said he was going to do, THANK GOD!!! I posted a pretty "bold" statement on my facebook page today saying much of what this post says, so I decided to post it here afterall. ****

I'm sure you've heard. On September 11th a man by the name of Terry Jones from Dove World's Church in Florida is planning to burn the Muslim Holy book, the Koran.

This has drawn a lot of media coverage, a lot of uproar with Christian leaders, in Washington and even in our Military.

I PRAY that people realize just how wrong this man is.

I PRAY that people who do not have a relationship with Jesus don't think that this man is in any way, shape or form a reflection of Christianity.

He. Is. Not.

He was asked in an ABC interview if he thought this was something Jesus would do. His response?

"Absolutely"

He said Jesus was a radical; that Jesus wouldn't have necessarily gone around burning books but that he would have burned this one.

I agree with Terry Jones on one thing.

Jesus WAS a radical.

Jesus ate dinner with the despised Tax Collectors. He spoke with and forgave the prostitutes and the adulterers. He healed the lepers. He didn't cast away the children. He stood up to the religious leaders of the time who were not doing things the way God intended.

But Jesus never would have demonstrated such an act of hatred toward any of God's children.

Ever.

This is something that has been stiring around in my head. So I wanted more amo for this post so I did some googling.

The more I read and as I sat and watched a replay of the ABC interview online I found myself getting angrier and angrier.

Then I realized, if I keep getting angrier over this, then this man has just one upped me.

I walked away from the computer and heard, "You know the truth."

Being angry won't solve anything or make change anything. But maybe my prayers can.

This man needs our prayers so that he can know the truth. The congregation he leads need our prayers so they too can know the truth.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says that we are to "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ²and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us"

Terry Jones is not imitating God and is not living a life of love.

1 John 4:7-12 says, ⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Soninto the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

How to Survive....

2010-09-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

....A Little Dude Tantrum

Step 1....Patient

Step 2.....The ability to ignore the behavior

Step 3....More Patient

Step 4.....Roll down all windows, turn music up LOUD, find nearest country road, take the "long" way home

Step 5.....Breathe.....this one is over

Homework

2010-08-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

I just got done helping The Boy gather up some pictures for a PowerPoint he is putting together for school. ***when I was his age....I had to cut pictures out of magazines and paste them onto cardboard" HAHAHAHA....I digress.....

The project is and ABC project about him....for every letter he comes up with a word that relates to him, a brief paragraph explaining why he chose that word and he has to have a corresponding photo or graphic.

We get to the letter "E"

He tells me the word is evil and he'd like a picture of BuhBuh for his PowerPoint.

I read his paragraph at it says:

"E is for evil. My younger brother BuhBuh practically defines evil. He will do absolutely anything to annoy me such as when I start heading to the bathroom he runs straight in, locks the door and takes his famous half hour craps"

The Daddy and I quickly veto him from using a picture of BuhBuh with the title "E is for Evil" and the above paragraph from his project.

We proceed down the line of letters, looking for pictures and after finishing a picture of H he tells me what he needs for J.

I asked what happened to I.

He laughs....

I ask him what word he chose for I.

He says "intelligent" and we both laugh.

He's contemplating changing that one too.

2010-08-25T13:34:00.000-05:00

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple. In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."
"Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."
Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
1She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."
Hannah Dedicates Samuel
When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always." word." So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there. "Do what seems best to you," Elkanah her husband told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

1 Samuel 1:9-28

I read excerpts of this passage at Little Dude's baptisim. It seemed fitting for as hard as it was for us to concieve him. When we were in the hospital to deliver we had foud names....2 girl names and 2 boy names. AS they showed me my baby boy My Sweetie asked "What are we going to name him?" Without hesitation, I blurted out the name that had been on my heart for years prior. As we arrived home with our newest little bundle, we found a card in the mailbox; a congratulations card with a scripture.

"For this child, I prayed" 1 Samuel 1:20

His name was perfect.

Today I was drawn back to this passage that I read for Little Dude's baptism. Now, while Little Dude has indeed had his haircut and I am not handing him over to my Pastor, when we baptized him I WAS dedicating him to God for his whole life.

Today as I dropped off a very excited 3-year old for his first day of preschool,

I wondered how much it hurt Hannah to do what she did. I wondered if she was sad. I wondered if she cried. I wondered just how quiet her home felt when she returned.

The scripture doesn't say anything about her sadness, but as a mom I would only assume that her heart was hurting a little.

1 Samuel 2:1 titled Hannah's Prayer does say,

"The Lord has filled my heart with joy; how happy I am because of what He has done!"

Rather than wallowing in what she was loosing, she worshiped and rejoiced because of what God had given her.

This precious baby of mine isn't really mine afterall.

He is a child of God.

I thank God for the opportunity to have been entrusted to raise another one of HIS children.

Little Dude has been given to me as a gift to love, care for, teach and help to grow.

But it's in his Heavenly Father's hands that he is truly being held.

Not mine.

"As long as he lives he will belong to the Lord"

1 Samuel 1:28

Wordless Wednesday: Garden Fresh

2010-08-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Measuring UP

2010-08-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

5 feet 9 inches

4 feet 4 inches

3 feet tall

So, I'm a little late....

2010-08-25T12:38:00.000-05:00

My 8th grader on his first day of school. Yes. The shirt says "Loser"

No worries. This is what the back of his shirt says.

My 2nd Grader on his first day of School

Showing off the new backpack....Star Wars, of course

And they are off!

School is back in full swing. Football practice has started, soccer won't be too far behind. Homework is already causing me stress and the temps are a little cooler today. I can almost smell fall.

I always have a hard time getting back into the swing of things. Summer is always so good and so busy. It is nice that we are back on "schedule" a little. But I miss having them home with me every day.

Praying for a year of learning and growing for my babes. Praying for health and no broken bones. Praying for easy mornings and not too many tears during homework time in the evenings.

Perspective

2010-08-13T12:11:00.000-05:00

Me: (Stroking The Boys hair)

The Boy: WHAT are you doing?

Me: (nostalgic sigh) Just looking at you...you're so handsome

The Boy: (clearly annoyed)

Me: You're not the little babe in my arms anymore. You've grown up so fast.

The Boy: Not to me.

Me: 13 years really isn't that long....

The Boy: 13 YEARS!?!?!?! THAT'S my whole life!!!

Multi-Tasking Momma...FAILURE!!!!

2010-08-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

Me: (sitting on computer working on a talk for a women's retreat weekend) BuhBuh, what is Little Dude doing?

Me: (continuing to stare at computer screen, so intently that I missed his respones)

My Sweetie: Hun, did you hear him???

Me: What??? Huh???

My Sweetie: Did you hear what BuhBuh said???

Me: Um, no, sorry.....What did you say BuhBuh?? What is Little Dude doing....

BuhBuh: He's mowing.....the lawn.....with the mower.....(mischievous grin)

The Boy

2010-08-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

"By the time your children leave the nest, you have either basked in the essence of their lives or missed it."

~Charlene Ann Baumbich

WHERE did my little boy go??

I went to wake The Boy today and it hit me.

He is growing so fast.

He is currently 4 inches taller than me.

His voice is deepening.

His legs are getting hairy.

He NEEDS a daily shower.

He needs to wash his face every day.

He is learning what it feels like to have a crush and to be crushed.

He is hungry for independence.

He desires to fit in someplace.

He has a love and knowledge of God's love and grace for him that I am sometimes envious of.

He feels sheltered by his parents.

Isn't as open to hugs from mom.

Will be begining 8th grade in less than 2 weeks.

Will be 14 in a little over 3 months.

WHEN did this all happen???

Sadly, it all happened right before my eyes.

I wish I could hold on to him tighter because he feels like he is slipping away faster and faster every year.

But I can't.

I can only bask in the essence of him, give him the foundation that he needs to build his life on, be his number one supporter and take comfort in the fact that God is really in control not me. **sigh**

Serving in St Paul

2010-08-02T14:48:00.005-05:00

In August of 2008 I found myself tearfully saying goodbye to My Sweetie, BuhBuh and Little Dude and setting off to serve on a youth mission trip with The Boy. I was going along for both the experience and as just one of the adult chaperons. I remember how affected I was by after the experience from both being with the youth and reaching out to helping someone in need of help.

The youth pastor at the time use to joke (well, maybe she WAS serious) that I was going to take over for her when she left. I would laugh, thinking she'd be around for awhile longer so that I could learn from her some more.

I remember when the announcement came that her and her husband, also a pastor, were being re-appointed. I choked back tears as I sat consoling one of the youth who had decided to come to church for the first time. I kept saying, "God, I'm not ready to take over"

Last Sunday I again found myself saying goodbye to my Sweetie, BuhBuh and Little Dude to head off to serve on another mission trip with The Boy. But this time, I climbed into the drivers seat of a 15-passenger van, this time as the leader not just a parent chaperon.

During our time in St Paul our group served in a variety of ways. Some of us helped serve at the Salvation Army Preschool and in Nursing Homes. Some of us helped our host church for the week prepare to hand out 400 backpacks of school supplies and organize 200+bags of groceries to send home with the kids who came to the church every afternoon so they'd be sure to have some food over the weekend.

We also helped with some yard work of some women who were no longer able to care for their yards themselves. We also spent our afternoons hanging out playing and reading with kids of the Boys and Girls Club East.

We all had to assist in meal prep and building clean-up a couple of times during the week.

In the evening there were activities unique to the St Paul area like a visit to the Cathedral,

and History Museum.
We listened to a speaker on poverty and did some eye opening activities. We had a community cook-out

and watched break dance and popping competition, in a church which removes the pews from the sanctuary to make it a dance floor once a week.

We also had a pizza picnic at Indian Mounds Park.

After our evening activities we had worship and sharing and heard a message.

We ended our evenings with small group time with our youth groups.

It was an exhausting schedule. Coffee was essential....

But, the work was rewarding and I saw God working through each one of my kids throughout the week.

I saw bonding between my kids and I saw new friendships with other youth who were on the trip from other churches as well.

I really looked forward to morning devotions where the only thing I needed to do was sit and be with God. I know, I can do that at home, but often times I don't make time for that....I'm working on that.

My favorite time during the trip was during the Thursday night foot-washing ceremony. The staff came out and washed each of the adult leaders feet and prayed over them. Then as adult leaders we washed our youth's feet and prayed over them. What a blessing it was to do that one-on-one with my kids. The kids were all pretty emotional after that so when we went into small group time I decided to literally throw the "pre-written" list of questions over my shoulder and just let them share whatever they wanted about their week.

As we got back in the van Friday morning to come back home, all of those kids expressed their sincere appreciation and gratitude for bringing them on this trip.

I may not have been ready to take over a year ago, but God has sure provided me with everything I've needed in order to do so.

Wordless Wednesday: Lego Creation

2010-07-21T15:14:00.001-05:00

Moments

2010-07-18T14:27:00.008-05:00

There are moments in life in which you wish time would freeze and stand still.

Moments in which you wish you could bottle up and save for another day.

Moments in which nothing else in the entire world matters other than the very second in which you stand.

You soak them in. You burn the images into your mind. You take photographs. But the moment always passes.

I love to escape with my family.

It doesn't matter where we go as long as we go. Life at home is full of work, school, sports, church, chores, that it's hard to enjoy the precious moments because life moves too fast.

But for me, when we get away from it all, it is refreshing.

It is peaceful.

It is relaxing.

It is re-energizing.

It's just perfect.

The only thing that matters in those moments is that we are together.

When we are able to get away from it all I feel connection between us as a family.

I feel connection between My Sweetie and I.

I feel at peace and calm and in those moments I am able to hear God's voice because life, for that moment, has slowed down.

It is in these moments that I hope and pray that we are creating memories for our children.

That we are setting an example of the importance of family.

Although I wish that I could string together an entire lifetime of moments like these I know it's not possible. For "if life were full of moments, you'd never know you'd had one" (Into the Woods)

I certainly appreciated, enjoyed and cherished every single moment we had together this past week. I hope to practice the fine art of slowing down just a little at home so that I don't miss the ones that are here also.

June Highlights....

2010-07-16T19:53:00.006-05:00

Evenings at the ball park watching BuhBuh (Why didn't I take any pictures???? UGH!)

The Boy's bedroom updated

Vacation Bible School....Walking With Jesus....just shy of $150 raised for No More Malaria....40-50 kids every day......Youth aged kids hung out in the afternoon after helping with VBS....great week. Go God!!!

The Boy attended a Leadership Camp within our United Methodist Conference. He learned a lot and had a GREAT time. Go God!!!

Took BuhBuh and Little Dude to the zoo and the spray park while big brother was at camp.

Had two major storms in one day.....after the first our power was off an on into the evening and left our little town a little broken....

The second left us without power for 29 consecutive hours.

Father's Day

Swim lessons

Fresh Black Raspberry Pie with homemade crust......made with love by My Sweetie....

with occasional assistance.....

26 times....delivered to family, friends, co-workers and clients.

The Boy volunteered several days at a lunch program ministry....lead the kids one day in the "Banana Song" and they loved it!!!

Technology Fast.....went FAST!!!!

But Wait....There's More

2010-06-24T08:04:00.002-05:00

I had to prepare a sermon to give for a class I took in May. It was based on Romans 5:1-11 NRSV

I am a sinner. I have no problem admitting this, because it’s just who I am. I know where I’ve been, I know what I’ve done and I know that I don’t deserve any of the blessings that God has put into my life.

About 8 years ago I decided that I was going to help out with the VBS at the Church I had recently started attending with my family. I figured that was something that a “good mom” who wanted to raise her children in the Church in the summer did. Let me tell you, I was so lost and confused! I had NO CLUE what was going on. I had no clue what I was doing. I was relieved to have been given the preschool aged children and even more thrilled that there were only a couple of them. It would be easier to fake my way through the lesson that way, I thought. On the evening of closing we were getting ready to walk down the aisle of the sanctuary with the kids and we were all given little flash lights and told to sing “This Little Light of Mine”. Again I was lost. I did no know this song. It wasn’t one that we had sung during our week at VBS WHY were we singing it now?? So, again, I faked it….I figured I’d just move my lips and hope no one noticed that I didn’t know the words.

Over the course of the next four years, God continued to nudge me into opportunities to grow in my faith and each time I was able to have a little more confidence in what I was doing and I began to fake it less and less.

Then God brought me the fork in the road of my life. I needed to decide if I was I going to continue to be the driver or hand the wheel over to My Creator.
We’ve each been at that fork in the road where we’ve had to decide which direction we were going to travel. For some of us it was an easy decision, others it was a little harder. Some of us may have gone in circles only to come to the fork again and again until the decision was made. But when we make that choice to choose life over death, the blessings from that begin immediately.

The life-saving moment of choosing the path in which we become justified, or made right with God is just the beginning. If I were trying to sell a relationship with God when I got to the selling point of justification, I’d say, “But wait….there’s more!!” There is so much more. This scripture from Romans tells us of all the good things that are to come after you have been made right with God.

It took me 29 years to get to that point and I kind of feel like I really missed out on some good things that I really could have used earlier in life and that I’m playing catch up. But I rejoice in the fact that I am where I am.
Being made right with God not only brings us the gift of salvation but we also find ourselves at peace with God, we find ourselves standing in His Grace and we are filled with the hope that God will not disappoint. All of these fruits are what make life now a little bit sweeter.

The scripture says, “Since we are justified by faith we have peace with God” Peace WITH God….We are no longer pushing God aside, we are no longer ignoring God ; the battle to save us is finished and God has won because God has won us. We no longer live in fear of death and judgment because at the very moment we were made right with God we were completely forgiven. That fear has been replaced with an intimate loving relationship with God that we are to nurture. Being in relationship with God helps us to know God; when we know God we can’t help but love God. When we are at peace with God, we will be at peace with ourselves when we are at peace with ourselves it is easier to be at peace with others.

Paul does not say that at the very moment we accept Christ as our Savior that we are made sinless. We are still only human and we will still continue to struggle with sin. But, since we are at peace with God we now can grow His grace.
“We have obtained access to this grace in which we stand” The grace that we are privileged to stand in is more abundant than we could ever imagine. One of the lyrics in the song “How He Loves” which is performed by the David Crowder Band helps to give a visual of just how vast God’s grace really is ….it says, “If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking”

Since being justified by faith, we have an unending supply of God’s grace, available to us at all times. We don’t have to prove that we are worthy of God’s love….He just loves us. We don’t have to earn his grace by doing good works…..His grace is freely given. We don’t have to worry about a tally sheet with our name on it of all our faults and failures….the slate has been wiped clean.

When we have access to God’s abundant grace, it is so much easier to extend that grace to people around us. Don’t be quick to judge, because God isn’t going to be quick to judge you. Forgive people, because God has already forgiven you. Smile at a stranger, hold the door open for the person behind you, don’t make assumptions about your family, friends or even strangers that could tailspin into an out of control, unnecessarily sense of anger in you. Offer grace instead, even if you don’t think those around you deserve it. God has given this to us and we don’t deserve it either.

When we are able to not worry about ourselves and not worry about others because grace is at work it leaves so much more time in our lives to put towards nurturing and growing in our personal relationship with Jesus.

Even though we have peace with God and are standing in God’s abundant grace, life still goes on. We don’t have peace with the world. We don’t have peace with flesh and we don’t have peace with sin. Our justification has not made us immune to the trials, pain and suffering that may surround us. Having access to God’s abundant grace and being at peace with God does give us hope. This hope gives us the comfort in God’s sustaining presence during the moments in life where the road becomes bumpy or broken.

Suffering can promote a chain reaction of spiritual growth in our lives if we endure it the right way. God doesn’t want us to suffer, but when we do, not only will He walk with us, but He’s going to use it as an opportunity to teach us about patient. Patient will lead to a stronger character and bring us hope. When we live with a strong sense of God’s hope on a daily basis, that can be our testimony to others of how important it is to be in relationship with God during the times in our life when the road is smooth. Rejoicing in our suffering will show those around us that God’s hope will not disappoint

The peace, grace and hope that are given to us once we are justified with God do not come to us without a price. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. Since God’s love for each of us is so much bigger then any sin, at the most perfect time, “God proved His love for us in that while we still were sinners, Christ died for us”
In the Old Testament, the word atonement meant “covering.” People would bring animals to the temple to be sacrificed and the blood was used to cover their sins. Jesus then made the final sacrifice for us. His atonement, His blood was used to cover all of our sins. Animals were no longer needed because Jesus covered everything for everyone.

Have you looked closely at the way atonement is spelled….A-T-O-N-E-M-E-N-T…..At One-Ment…..Christ’s death made it possible for us to be One with Him and for us to be reconciled to God.

These gifts that have been given to us through justification need to be used in our everyday lives. These gifts need to be shared with the world. We need to be at peace with others, we need to offer grace to others and we need to tell them of the hope that God brings to our lives. No one is going to want a relationship with Jesus if they can’t see a change in us. God has given us these tools to be used as part of our witnessing through our everyday actions and interactions with others. They are gifts that we should be using to show others the love that Jesus has for them too.

I am a sinner. I have no problem admitting this, because it’s just who I am. I know where I’ve been, I know what I’ve done and I know that I don’t deserve any of the blessings that God has put into my life.

But I do know that God has made me so much more than that.

I am a sinner who has been justified by faith, at peace with God, standing in God’s abundant grace filled with a hope that God will not disappoint. And so are you!!! So rejoice in the fruits of justification and give thanks for the peace, grace and hope that has been given to you freely and use them to bring glory to your Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Reporting from the LaundryTrenches

15

Bedtime Stories

A Day of Praise

9

Lunch Box Worries

Car Talk

Car Talk

Car Talk

Summer Nights

June

End of School

Another Chapter

Last Day of School: Litte Dude

Hugs

Words to Live By

Camera Cable FOUND!!!!

Birthday Letter

Brothers

John Wesley's Historic Questions

Statement of Call

Spring Break Vacation

Dinner Party Rules

Fun with Daddy

Treasure Chest

Lost

Photo Op

Lots O Mommies!!!

Who Loves You???

Bedtime Stories

Intentionally Growing Part Two: Marriage

Intentionally Growing Part One

Conversations in his Heart & Allergies

Did you know.....

Christmas Blessings

Oh, Christmas Tree....

The Christma Story *cubed*

Reminders from God

Car Talk

Ready to Learn

Different

Lead Me

Doors

Happy 14th

Even There...

Car Talk

One of those days....

Faith of a Child

Make it Count

If you were a detective....

Good Neighbor

Homecoming

Apple Orchard

Car Talk

8 is GREAT!!!

Car Talk

Birthday Letter

How to Survive....

Homework

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

Wordless Wednesday: Garden Fresh

Measuring UP

So, I'm a little late....

Perspective

Multi-Tasking Momma...FAILURE!!!!

The Boy

Serving in St Paul

Wordless Wednesday: Lego Creation

Moments

June Highlights....

But Wait....There's More

The Christma Story cubed