A Busy Weekend in pictures....

Personal note: 
I have been humbled over the past several days after all of the sweet positive comments about my last blog post.  I can't thank you enough for taking your time to read my posts, share them and to go out of your way to comment. Thank you for bringing joy to my life this past week. I will continue to blog if you will continue to read! Be blessed!


As I reflect over all of the pictures on my phone from this past weekend, I realized that it was busier than I remembered! Although, it was filled with sweet friends, Birthday celebrations and more smiles than tears!

On Friday evening we dropped Addison off to a Birthday sleepover for her friend Ella. Finn was disappointed that it was a girls only party, so we were down a kid for the evening.  He had asked several times to play putt putt, so we went to the coolest place in our little town. He was impressed with the blue water and the pirate ship!  Afterwards, we played a few arcade games and I won him a stuffed animal!

On Saturday, a local organization hosted a Free Kids Fishing Day, so we knew that Finn would love it!  We had to get up super early for a Saturday though (something that is HARD for me to do), but we did it!  Sadly, he didn't catch anything but he still had a great time!  We ran into a sweet family from our church and their kids were the first ones there and they caught several fish. The early bird really does get the worm!

On Saturday afternoon, we picked up our sweet friend Kaci and went to the pool.  You can see those dark skies and see that we didn't do hardly any swimming. Nevertheless, the kids made the best of it and played in the rain, played ball and ate a picnic lunch !

On Sunday, we went to church and it was amazing!! I took pictures, but they were too blurry to post. My husband is the Associate Children's Minister at our church and while it is a lot of work, we both love serving the kids and their families!  I taught the grade school kids on Sunday and we had an awesome time! We even went outside to play a fun water game!  

On Sunday afternoon, Finn had a Birthday party to attend at Chuck E Cheese.  Spunky volunteered to take Finn and it gave Addison and I some sweet time together. Even if all we did was venture to Aldi to get groceries and to Target ! It was still fun to have some girl time while it lasted!

I really enjoyed the evening after we got home this evening.  I have felt like each evening has been a bit muggy or completely rainy.  So, I really enjoyed my time with the kids outside tonight.

I have been struggling to get through every day.  Our vacation is coming up really soon and I am just so excited!! Addison and Finn remind me each evening when I get home how many days closer we are.  I am trying to enjoy each day as it is and try not to focus that it's not coming fast enough!

And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else.  Where you are right now is God's place for you.  Live and obey and love and believe right there.  Corinthians 7:17a The Messasge

Bloom Where You Are Planted...

"So brothers  in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God." 1 Corinthians 7:24

Several weeks ago, I ventured home from the office and soon into my commute, I was stuck in a traffic jam.  It was one of those afternoons that I needed to pick up my children as soon as absolutely possible and the slow moving traffic began to put me into panic mode.  My hands were sweaty as I gripped the steering wheel and I began to fret with each inch that the traffic crawled. 

All of a sudden I was stopped in the right hand lane and I noticed, growing in the emergency lane was the most beautiful sunflower.  I am married to a landscaper and while I do not know a great deal about planting and growing times, but I do know that it was too early in the year for sunflowers (because mine have not bloomed yet) and I also know that it was pretty odd for them to grow out of a crack in the asphalt on the side of the interstate.  Anyway, it was there and I saw it on that day in early June.

The image of the sunflower has remained with me since that day when I was fretting over something I could not control.  I began to look for the sunflower over the course of the next few days and it remained there for some time.  Each time I felt God whisper to me to bloom where I am planted.

The sunflower on the side of the interstate by no means had the most ideal growing conditions, but yet it continued to thrive. The sunflower grew taller and taller over the course of the next couple of weeks & I can't help but think that others saw her as well.

I feel that God often times places us in difficult places in our lives, where often times it is difficult for us to grow.  On the surface, our ground may not be the perfect soil for us to mature, but inside of us we have everything we need to thrive.  When the situations around us are chaotic like the cars that zoom by on the interstate and we are trying to keep from falling on our faces, we can rely on the strength that Jesus gives us to stand.  When we feel that we're too young / not spiritually mature enough / inadequate for the situation, we have to remember who placed us in this time and know that he will provide our every need, like the sunflower.  When we do, others begin to notice and they long to be around us when their world is insecure.  We can point them to the one who gives us the ultimate peace.

Happy Independence Day!!

Happy Independence Day!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Psalms 33:12

Finn and the Popsicle...

Recently, I have become disgruntled, aggravated and just grumpy because I haven't gotten my way about the way that I feel like my life should go. I have prayed and prayed and prayed...begged God to please sway in my direction about the way that I wanted things to go.

Recently, while cooking dinner I was thinking about all of this and Finn popped into the kitchen to...help me with dinner. He became distracted and did not want to wait on dinner before eating dessert.  He at first asked sweetly for a popsicle and when I told him to please wait until after dinner for his sweet treat, he began to demand a popsicle and I repeatedly told him no and even threatened to take him to time out if he did not stop begging and whining for a popsicle!

When I came back from switching the laundry over, I returned to this...

Clearly, you can see that he tried to take things into his own hands.  He was so determined to get what I had already told him that he couldn't have...yet that he got a chair and was reaching to get his popsicle himself!

During this moment, I realized that this is exactly what I am trying to do to God.  I have asked him repeatedly to change a part of my life, but all I have gotten is silence. I have badgered him and I have tried to take things into my own hands like sweet Finn is doing and he has repeatedly said "Not yet my child!" "Not yet!"

You see, I wanted Finn to eat his dinner before eating his popsicle, he needs to eat his dinner so that "he will grow big and strong" like June Cleaver always said!  And that is exactly what God wants for me. I am simply not ready for what he has in store for me. I still have some growing to do.  I need to eat my green beans so that I can become big and strong.  Truthfully, I need to experience things that only God can give me before I am ready for that next step. And in the mean time, I need to stop getting my little red chair and reaching into the freezer for my popsicle.

The Fancy Watch

As many people know, I'm not what you would call a technological guru.  I have a smart phone and it can do a lot more than I give it credit for.  I'm still unsure as to how you get Pandora to actually play through your car speakers.  And our tv in the living room...is a big square box.  It's not a fancy one that most people hang on the wall.  It has an extra tv on the back.  And yes, it works and we haven't purchased another one (although we have came close) because it works !

I get this honest.  I had a long conversation with my mother within the last couple of months as to how she could get her phone to get her from point A to point B when she recently drove to Atlanta.  I was really worried about her.  I even thought about going with her, but I was so happy that she figured it all out.

I am aware of the fancy watches that it seems like everyone are sporting.  I was first intrigued when I saw someone staring at their watch for more than 10 seconds.  I thought to myself "it's 2:15....move on!"  I then realized that said person was actually reading a text message. I may or may not have actually looked at them online after that....and that is as far as it went. I know that if I had one I would probably break it on accident, I can see myself running into a wall while wearing it and shattering it or something.

Please know that if you have said fancy watch, I am NOT making fun of you at all.  I'm just intrigued....

A couple of days ago, I was talking to a friend who has a fancy watch. Said friend was talking and became frustrated and his watch began to notify him.  He said "oh hang on, text message." And he then said, "oh never mind, my watch is reminding me that I need to breathe!"

I wish that I had something that notified me whenever I need a dose of Jesus.  Which would be all of the time.  Sometimes I get slack about said quiet time.  The thing that keeps my world into orbit.  When I neglect my quiet time, I can instantly see that I am easily agitated, overwhelmed with life and more likely to become offended....with everything.

When I spend time in God's word, I am calmer.  When I spend time talking with God, I see my heart shift to look a little more like God's. I am also more likely to show love to others who are unlovable.

Why do I just not instantly have my quiet time? Well, because Satan likes to distract me with other things.  He likes to turn my head to the pile of laundry that needs to be folded, the 17 unanswered text messages on my phone and my schedule and to do list.  He's crafty like that. These things are not wrong, but they are if I neglect my quiet time to accomplish them.

What are some of your favorite devotionals? Mine include anything by Lysa TerKurst, "Draw the Circle - 40 Day Prayer Challenge and Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 17:6

The Mask...

As a child, I didn't enjoy Halloween.  I didn't particularly enjoy dressing up in a costume.  I did not enjoy going trick or treating and seeing familiar people in costumes and masks.  I was frightened when people put a fake mask over who they really were.

Going through life, I am often finding that during hard times, it is much easier to place a happy mask over my face during the times that my face does not naturally smile.  Despite that, even though I am telling everyone that everything is fine. I am all happy inside.  In spite of that, I am really lying...and that is a sin.

I love the song "When I'm With You", by Citizen Way.  Particularly this stanza:

Everything's not fine
And I'm not okay
But it's nice to know
I can come this way

The song is really speaking of coming to God and being honest with Him during our prayers.  I know from personal experience that God honors honest and bold prayers.  Even though God knows everything about us, even the number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7) and our prayers before we even speak them (Matthew 6:8).  He wants and desires to hear our needs from our very own lips.

I also feel that God wants us to be honest with each other.  Recently, I was feeling quite glum.  Later that evening, I had a friend call me and tell me about her bad day.  I was sorry that my friend was having a bad day, however it was a blessing to be needed that evening.  It was an honor for me to lift her up in prayer and to encourage her.  Since then, she has also had the opportunity to lift me up on a rough day or two.  And because of that, our friendship has gotten closer.

I feel that we are often times not honest with each other because we do not want to "bother" someone with what we feel like are pity problems.  Although, I also feel that the Devil desires for us to be alone in our struggles. When we are alone in our struggles the Devil can plant evil thoughts into our heads.  When we give our true self to God and to others, we can be filled with hope.

In summary, take your mask off today and be real...to others and to God!

I'm Still Alive...

Hello! It's been a while, but I'm still alive and kickin'. I'm not exactly sure why I've been so silent on the blog. I blame life and all of the business, but I have missed sitting here and feeling my fingertips write away on my computer.

Life...has been busy, rewarding, heartbreaking and full of joy all at the same time. However, I never dreamed that God would have blessed me as much as he has. I wake up alive each day, I'm able to kiss the man of my dreams before drifting off to sleep each night and we have two great kids.  

I'm loving that my husband is in ministry. I absolutely love our church. Not long ago I had someone ask me "do you actually love your church as much as you say you do?" I said, I actually love it and it's actually my favorite place to be. I love the people, the worship songs and the feeling of the holy spirit when I enter the doors. I love being with him late at night cutting things for children's ministry and the moments when we're picking each others brains for new activities!

We recently began teaching a class called "The Art of Marriage" on Wednesday evenings.  We have said over and over...5 years ago if someone told us that we were going to be teaching a marriage class we would have laughed!!  We have definitely had our trials, but we're thankful for how God has brought us through difficult times. I love each couple that has attended and learning about what has worked for them.

My kids are doing amazing in school and in life. Addison recently got her braces off and her teeth look soooo good! Both of them are excelling in school and this is definitely an answered prayer.  Both kids have been uninterested in learning and I am so thankful that they are both finally beginning to have a love of learning.  This is something that we have prayed about over and over!

This pretty much sums up life lately.  Hoping to get back on the blogging train!!

Blessings!