Are you arching?

God often refines and molds you during hard times in your life. He takes your fears, worries, hopes, dreams, and thoughts and asks, "Do you trust me"? The thing is, He's always wanting us to trust Him...good & hard times. Do we run to Him during those times or when hard times come up, do we revert back to our old ways of fear, worry, stress, and lack of hope.

When my youngest son Levi was born, he didn't like to snuggle much with me. I would prop him up to burp him or just rock him & he would arch his back and fight it. I always wondered why he just didn't relax and trust me. As his mom I so badly wanted to just love on him and he just wanted to look around. The other day I realize that for quite a few months now, he leans into me...no longer arching and seems to enjoy snuggling with me, especially when he's tired. It does something to the insides of me in an almost peaceful, loving, & joyful rest. In all actuality it brings me great delight...for he's leaning into me...he trusts me to take care of him.

When the hard times in our lives come we need to stop arching our back, trying to look in every other direction and just trust the Lord. For when we just lean into Him we find peace, rest, and complete safety. He loves us so very much and when I stop fighting and surrender to His plan then I find leaning into Him is the most wonderful place to be. Imagine how He feels.....

A big box....

I need boxes right now...and lots of them. Packing all our everyday and not so everyday possessions is more than I thought it would be. I remind myself as I pack everything to not grumble but be thankful for all the Lord has provided for us.

My husband brought home a really big box today & I have needed really big boxes. Instead of being filled with possessions, it's being filled with 2 little boys. Hours of entertainment as the toys just sit and watch. "Don't mess up or rip the box, boys. I'm going to need that for packing."....((((rip)))....((((tear))))....oh dear...not the big box. Next the box is being pushed all over the living room by the youngest who in actuality gets pushed over by the big box. Oh, I needed that big box.

I get so trapped by the stresses of this life. So, maybe one of our big boxes gets ripped and torn to shreds....there are more big boxes in this world, but I need it. But more than my need is the sounds of pure joy and laughter as I watch my children find great pleasure in a big box. Ah, for the days when not ripping a big box of moms was all I had to worry about. Enjoy the box, my boys for nothing brings me more joy than you.

I got an AWARD!!

My friend Mariel at Growing in Godliness gave me this award!! Thank you so much Mariel!! I've enjoyed so much reading her depth of insight into the Word and the passion she has for Christ. She loves the Lord and His Word and it's very evident!

Part of the fun though of this award from her is that I was tagged to fill you in on 6 random things about me. Oh, things deep in the depths of my life that you've never known....hmmm....oh, are you in such suspense? :-) Ok, here we go!!

1. I took piano lessons for 11 years and entered several competitions - never won though.
2. I LOVE a new Bible. I'm spoiled in that I have so many...
3. I know some might think this inappropriate, but I LOVE to write all the things God is teaching me in my Bible because I honestly never go back and read my journal, but I open my Bible all the time.
4. Like Mariel, I HAVE to make my bed every morning..I hate getting into an unmade bed.
5. At parties, I usually win the award for having the most lipsticks/lipglosses in my purse. Can anyone beat 26? ....Remember, I LOVE makeup! :-)
6. I love to organize and be in charge. Someday I would love to be used by the Lord to speak at women's conferences or women's gatherings....thought about talking someday about weight issues and how God can use that in your life...just a dream. God would have to make the doors really clear because when I get in front of people & talk I am SO nervous & I usually cry.

Anyone else want to join in & share with your blog world 6 random facts about you??

A busy week...

Spray parks, movies, amusement parks, birthday parties, house stuff....these are all the things that have occupied our time this week. I had decided that I had been so occupied with all the details & things for the sale/purchase of our homes that I had not given my children the time they deserved. So, this week I was taking a break & we were having fun!

Yes, we had a blast...but, the term "taking a break" was way off! I've been busier doing these fun activities than I have been in a long time, but it was well worth it to see the joy in my son's eyes. But, I remember why I find is easier to stay home right now....today is one of those days. Rest, catching up with laundry and cleaning, hanging out at home, remembering the toys we have here....peace. What I realized was that even after days of being away from home, even my boys started to behave out of the norm for they were tired too.

This made me think of our relationship with the Lord. We busy our selves with things of Him, which in & of itself is a good thing, but at the price of enjoying the peace & rest of the Lord and quite honestly...missing Him. There are times when I forget to just sit down in my own home & enjoy my children and I wonder if the Lord feels the same way about us. Bringing joy to my children doesn't require me to fill their lives with activities...I found that all they want is me. The Lord doesn't want us to fill our lives with activities because all He wants is us. Because being so busy doing things for Him can really, truly cause us to miss Him.

So, today we slow down & enjoy the peace of being at home just playing with each other. And I remember that the Lord wants me to just slow down and enjoy the peace of being at Home with Him.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

Learning again

This my friends is our new home....

The wonder of His grace than even amidst my doubt, He provides.

His love that is so deep that He would choose to refine & prune my heart.

The Words of Life He reminded me of..."Do you think I don't see your troubles?"

The friend He used that encouraged me to change my attitude, enjoy the ride, and trust His heart. Thank you friend...I needed you that day & you were amazing.

The husband that calmed my fears even amidst his own worries. Love, words can't express....

The faith & trust He's building in our hearts as we step beyond what we think we can do & trust in what He can do....Obedience.

Hoping to remember next time how to trust Him completely & not fall into my human habits of falling apart.

Remembering to have "Faith in this journey"....for it's a life long process.

Thankful...thankful to a God who humbles my heart time & time again.....Thankful.

The blessing of family....

Family is something that's very dear & cherished to me. Being closer to our families is one of the main reasons we are moving 35minutes across town. I've been blessed with a family that supports, encourages, loves and stands by us no matter what. It's a gift from the Lord to not only have one side of the family that is such a blessing & that knows the Lord, but both sides! Thank you Lord for the blessing of family.


These are just a few pictures from our July 4th celebration! We start the day with homemade French toast breakfast hosted by my grandparents! It's so delicious!! We then proceed to my parent's house for a BBQ and then we walk down the street to the park for the fireworks. It was a fun day filled with special family memories....Oh, & the above picture is my brother who loves to be silly with my boys. It was suppose to be a crazy picture & that was the best Caleb could do! See who's more experienced?! He's a great uncle!

Have a wonderful weekend and whether it be with your immediate family or your extended family, enjoy every moment!

Isaiah 40: 27-31

"O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No on can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

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."

Wordless Wednesday...

So in love with this man.....

The Wonder of it all....

When you're shopping for a new home, waiting for your current home contract to all go through & hoping that it does..well, it can cause stress, worry, fear, being uptight, anxiousness, jealously, pride, anger, excitement, disappointment, doubt, joy, happiness, thankfulness, tears, contentment, trust, remembering that God is faithful, and even love.

These are a few of the emotions that have entered my heart since we have begun this journey, most of which I'm not proud of. We are still waiting.... But what I realize is that I haven't leaned on the Lord, prayed and dug into His Word like I have until recently for quite some time. Sad, I know. I'm thankful for a God that doesn't give up on me and longs to be gracious to us. He has the best in mind for us...He knows where we need to live...He knows who needs to buy this current home....He knows.

A friend of my mom's gave this verse to me and I've really been clinging to it. Psalm 50:15 "Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me the glory." I know the Lord uses everything in our lives to bring glory to His name...not ours, His. Recently we went to have lunch with my husband at work. There were several other teachers in the lunchroom with us and they were asking how in the world we sold our house in this market so quickly. Dan & I were almost silent for a moment and then I just spouted out..."God..it's only Him that could have done this." As I was driving home I felt the Lord share with me that that is what it looks like to bring glory to Him. In a room of ladies who we are not sure where they are with the Lord, we were able to give all credit to God.

So, even though in all honestly I'm still praying through & seeking the Lord's forgiveness on some of those "bad" emotions, I'm excited to give all the glory to the Lord. He's faithful, oh so faithful. I trust you Lord...

You know you're from Colorado when....

So, for those of you that don't know, I live in the amazingly, beautiful State of Colorado. I read this on a friend of mines blog & thought I'd give some insight into how we think out here...some of it you might not get at all & some might shed some light on some things. Have a great day friends!!

A winter statistic:

98% OF AMERICANS SCREAM BEFORE GOING IN THE DITCH
ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM COLORADO AND THEY SAY, 'HOLD MY SODA AND WATCH THIS.
NOW:

You're from Colorado if...
-You'll eat ice cream in the winter.
-When the weather report says it's going to be 65 degrees, you shave your legs and wear a skirt.
-It snows 5 inches and you don't expect school to be cancelled.
-You'll wear flip flops every day of the year, regardless of temperature.
-You have no accent at all, but can hear other people's. And then you make fun of them. (I don't. I like southern accents seeing as lived the 1st 10 years of my life in the south)
-'Humid' is over 25%.
-Your sense of direction is: Toward the mountains and Away from the mountains.
-You say 'the interstate' and everybody knows which one.
-You think that May is a totally normal month for a blizzard, but then it's like Spring the next day.
-You buy your flowers to set out on Mother's day, but try and hold off planting them until just before Father's day.
-You know what the Continental Divide is.
-You don't think Coors beer is that big a deal. (The Coors plant is in Colorado)
-You went to Casa Bonita as a kid, and as an adult. {really gross food, very fun entertainment for kids}
-You've gone off-roading in a vehicle that was never intended for such activities.
-You always know the elevation of where you are.
-You wake up to a beautiful, 80 degree day and you wonder if it's going to snow tomorrow.

**You don't care that some company renamed it, the Broncos still play at Mile High**
-Every movie theater has military and student discounts.
-Everybody wears jeans to church.
-You actually know that ** South Park ** is a real place not just a show on TV.
-You know what a 'trust fund hippy' is, and you know its natural habitat is Boulder
-You know you're talking to a fellow Coloradoan when they call it Elitches, not Six Flags.
-A bear on your front porch doesn't bother you.
-Your two favorite teams are the Broncos and whoever is beating the crap out of the Raiders.
-When people out East tell you they have mountains in their state too, you just laugh.
-You go anywhere else on the planet and the air feels 'sticky' and you notice the sky is no longer blue.

What do you think??

So...the question remains....can an almost 33 year old get by with wearing her hair like this????

Always in training....

I took my sweet boys all to the store with me today...Yikes! I know we've all been there...I decided to be brave and tackle the store with all 3 boys BY MYSELF because I needed something very important at Target. I felt I just couldn't go another moment without it and really, it was an essential. I was already out & about, so I thought..."I'll swing by & just go in real quick"...right.

I have one child in the seat up front, one child in the back of the cart, and one walking beside me. They touch everything...they pull things off the shelves as I'm trying to look at these cute shoes on clearance. They would like to look at every toy in every isle, they want popcorn for the ride.

What kind of mother am I that would allow this kind of behavior? This is the thought I had BEFORE I had children. I would look at other mothers and their kids and think, "they need to get their kids under control". Open mouth...insert foot! Oh, how I now understand. I now get the look myself and I now just give an understanding chuckle & the mother to mother nod you give that says..."been there, understand".

Our children are going to push us to the limits...they are testing our boundaries...seeing how far they can go. I have heard & read that truly deep down children desire discipline from us for that in itself shows them love. We are training hearts....we are raising them not to be happy, but to be holy. If we have taught them manners, morals, and so many other things, but have not shown them Jesus, then we have failed. All are important, but all pales in comparison to Jesus.
So, amidst my training again today in the store and teaching them what obedience looks like there and trying to maintain control while buying my very essential item, I learn that I grab "things" off shelves and try to do my own thing with the Lord but sometimes I need to sit still, fold my hands, be obedient and listen to that sweet voice from the Lord....

And it was all worth it because when all was said and done I was able to get my very important essential item.....Chocolate.

Control

Control...it has got to be a disease with me. We all want it...we strive for it...we go after it & most times, we don't get it. We want to be in charge of the situation, the circumstance, the issue.

My house is a disaster. After having it in tip top shape for 1 1/2 months for showings, it is now sold and we have let things go. The problem is, I loved having it so clean all the time. Yet, now I've lost control as toys are tossed everywhere....boxes are piling up in my home and honestly, the mess drives me nuts. I have no control and even amidst my best efforts, there's always something to clean or pick up. It's ever constant & I'm exhausted from even the thoughts of what I need to do.

There are many things in my life right now that are out of my control. The big one being that I'm waiting to hear back from the offer we put on a home. It's a foreclosure so the bank tends to take longer than your average sale. So we wait...and if we counter-offer, well then we wait again. I'm reminded of that verse in Proverbs. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not onto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." LEAN NOT ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING....HE WILL DIRECT MY PATH IF I TRUST HIM!!!!

So, we might want control in things, but I'll never really get it because I trust a Savior that I desire to lay everything at the feet of. And if truth be told, deep down...I'm thankful He has the control and not me.

Saying my piece!

"The Pew poll out last week reveals that 82 percent of Protestants believe there are multiple paths to salvation, as do 79 percent of Catholics and 57 percent of evangelicals."

As a believer in Jesus Christ, these statistics are very disturbing to me. I marvel at the fact that even in the Christian realm we interpert the Bible so differently. Did I miss something in the verse in the Bible that says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"?

Last night I was listening to a Christian program on the radio and they were talking about the latest book called The New Earth. Oprah has highly recommended it. The problem....deception. He's taken the Bible and our beliefs in God and twisted them to how he wants them to be and so many people embrace it as "the way". He's completely wrong.

One thing I've learned in my years growing up reading the Word and being a believer in Jesus Christ is that many deceivers will come along, the main one being the anti-christ. There's part of me that can understand why a non-believer would fall into this trap, but I'm saddened at times at the fact of so many believers in Jesus falling into this same trap of deception. But, I've always known that the enemy loves to work inside the camp and destroy it from the inside out.

Believers...end times are upon us! Being in the Word of God is the only way we're going to know if something or someone is a wolf in sheep's clothing. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is only ONE WAY to Jesus! ONE!...through Him. We must be strong and deliver Light to this world. We must stand for Him and not let the deception of the enemy creep into our understanding of who we know He is. For I know that in the end....we win...God wins...He's already won! Praise the Lord!!