Saturday, October 29, 2011
Lots to Update
I have so much to update. I think I need to be a bit more diligent. So this post will cover a couple of weeks and will, most definitely, not be in chronological order. But, I guess, you would never know.
A week ago, the 19 year old daughter of my parent's friends, died in a car accident. My heart has been breaking for them. I can't imagine, and don't want to. They have obviously been grieving, but what I didn't expect (and am not sure why I didn't) was how it would impact my own parents. It is as if their wounds from B.T. have been ripped wide open. Not only can the empathize with their friends and grieve with them, their own hearts are gushing blood again. I hate this. I hate how this hurts them.
My grandma went into the hospital and has been there a couple of weeks. They think she may have had a couple of strokes and she has fallen and broken a couple of bones in her back. The doctor says she really can't live alone anymore. My mom has been dealing with this too. Grandma does not want to give up her independence, but she really isn't independent anymore.
Greg went into the hospital this week. He had a terrible bout of diverticulitis and had to spend a night in the hospital, getting IV antibiotics. We REALLY have to change how he eats. I know this attack was brought on by poppy seed chicken and corn. Those are off the menu.
Jacob, Grace and Jadyn all had field trips within the last week. Jacob and Grace went to the pool, and Jadyn went to the cider mill. I guess I can put in the pics here.
Jadyn woke up one morning and came to my bedroom and told me that her "nose was all hogged." She meant clogged. I guess it was more funny to see her tell me than is comes across here.
I have made a new friend - and I am very happy about it. She is the mother of one of Grace's friends. Each time we talk, we seem to have more and more in common. The best thing? We have Jesus in common. Thank you LORD, for my new friend, Stephanie.
Oh.....I almost forgot one of the MOST exciting things that has happened to me recently. The night that Greg came home from the hospital (thank you, Papa) I went out to run some errands. One of them was to go to Target for a return. I really try to limit my trips to Target because I want a pair of Converse tennis shoes and Greg keeps telling me to wait until CHRISTmas. While I was there, I ran into my friend, Kristy - Kenton's (Jadyn's old boyfriend) mom. We have not seen each other in a while and stood there talking for about 30 minutes. I miss hanging out with her - she is now homeschooling. We keep talking about getting together for lunch, but never quite seem to make it happen. We really have to get on that. But...over the course of our conversation, I told her about why I limit my trips to Target. Fastforward to the next morning, and my kids were shouting that there was a present on the front porch. We all thought we were "boo-ed", because we are so close to Halloween. When I opened the door, I saw a card inside. I took it out and it said my name on it. Weird, I thought. Who would have left this? I opened the card and the sobbing began. It was from Kristy. And, it was a pair of Converse tennis shoes! What a sweetheart. The card said some very nice words about me - words that I really don't deserve. Words that can only be said of the good that comes from Christ. I did spend the entire morning crying. I was so overwhelmed by her generosity. And I was overwhelmed by the way God provided for me. I know this is such a small deal, but like I explained to Jacob.....how would you feel if someone left an Ipod Touch on the front porch? He said, " I would love it!" I told him that now he knew how I felt. Kristy is an amazing friend - and not because of the shoes. But what I love about this is how God worked it out. That still has me completely dumb-founded. I love my GOD so much! And, here again, not because of the shoes (although they are a nice bonus). He loves me so much. What matters to me matters to Him. It doesn't always mean I get what I want. Rather, it means, I get what gives Him glory. Praise His Holy Name!!!!
A week ago, the 19 year old daughter of my parent's friends, died in a car accident. My heart has been breaking for them. I can't imagine, and don't want to. They have obviously been grieving, but what I didn't expect (and am not sure why I didn't) was how it would impact my own parents. It is as if their wounds from B.T. have been ripped wide open. Not only can the empathize with their friends and grieve with them, their own hearts are gushing blood again. I hate this. I hate how this hurts them.
My grandma went into the hospital and has been there a couple of weeks. They think she may have had a couple of strokes and she has fallen and broken a couple of bones in her back. The doctor says she really can't live alone anymore. My mom has been dealing with this too. Grandma does not want to give up her independence, but she really isn't independent anymore.
Greg went into the hospital this week. He had a terrible bout of diverticulitis and had to spend a night in the hospital, getting IV antibiotics. We REALLY have to change how he eats. I know this attack was brought on by poppy seed chicken and corn. Those are off the menu.
Jacob, Grace and Jadyn all had field trips within the last week. Jacob and Grace went to the pool, and Jadyn went to the cider mill. I guess I can put in the pics here.
Jadyn woke up one morning and came to my bedroom and told me that her "nose was all hogged." She meant clogged. I guess it was more funny to see her tell me than is comes across here.
I have made a new friend - and I am very happy about it. She is the mother of one of Grace's friends. Each time we talk, we seem to have more and more in common. The best thing? We have Jesus in common. Thank you LORD, for my new friend, Stephanie.
Oh.....I almost forgot one of the MOST exciting things that has happened to me recently. The night that Greg came home from the hospital (thank you, Papa) I went out to run some errands. One of them was to go to Target for a return. I really try to limit my trips to Target because I want a pair of Converse tennis shoes and Greg keeps telling me to wait until CHRISTmas. While I was there, I ran into my friend, Kristy - Kenton's (Jadyn's old boyfriend) mom. We have not seen each other in a while and stood there talking for about 30 minutes. I miss hanging out with her - she is now homeschooling. We keep talking about getting together for lunch, but never quite seem to make it happen. We really have to get on that. But...over the course of our conversation, I told her about why I limit my trips to Target. Fastforward to the next morning, and my kids were shouting that there was a present on the front porch. We all thought we were "boo-ed", because we are so close to Halloween. When I opened the door, I saw a card inside. I took it out and it said my name on it. Weird, I thought. Who would have left this? I opened the card and the sobbing began. It was from Kristy. And, it was a pair of Converse tennis shoes! What a sweetheart. The card said some very nice words about me - words that I really don't deserve. Words that can only be said of the good that comes from Christ. I did spend the entire morning crying. I was so overwhelmed by her generosity. And I was overwhelmed by the way God provided for me. I know this is such a small deal, but like I explained to Jacob.....how would you feel if someone left an Ipod Touch on the front porch? He said, " I would love it!" I told him that now he knew how I felt. Kristy is an amazing friend - and not because of the shoes. But what I love about this is how God worked it out. That still has me completely dumb-founded. I love my GOD so much! And, here again, not because of the shoes (although they are a nice bonus). He loves me so much. What matters to me matters to Him. It doesn't always mean I get what I want. Rather, it means, I get what gives Him glory. Praise His Holy Name!!!!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Prayer ALWAYS Helps
Funny how that is, huh?
Tonight, I was putting the boys to bed......20 minutes early......because I was sick and freaking tired of their fighting. Also an interesting thing. My 9 year old and my 3 year old fighting. So, I was sitting on their beds and did not feel like singing to them. I did not feel like praying. I just wanted them to sleep and be quiet. Nevertheless, I prayed. First, telling God that I simply did not want to pray and that I was sick of them fighting. Then, I prayed for my own forgiveness, for being crabby and impatient and plain tired. As I prayed, I felt the irritation slipping away. Next, I prayed for forgiveness for the boys, for their fighting and crabbiness. Before I knew it, Grant was lying his head in my lap. Then he was climbing up me. How could I continue to be irritated and angry. These are MY boys and I love them so much. Yes, they can certainly irritate me. But, I know I can also irritate them. But, God has really given us an amazing relationship. I firmly believe this is because HE is the center of it.
The boys are in bed. The girls are reading to each other. Greg is sitting across from me reading something - out loud. It makes it VERY HARD for me to concentrate on what I am typing, so I will go before my irritation comes back with a vengeance. Night.
Tonight, I was putting the boys to bed......20 minutes early......because I was sick and freaking tired of their fighting. Also an interesting thing. My 9 year old and my 3 year old fighting. So, I was sitting on their beds and did not feel like singing to them. I did not feel like praying. I just wanted them to sleep and be quiet. Nevertheless, I prayed. First, telling God that I simply did not want to pray and that I was sick of them fighting. Then, I prayed for my own forgiveness, for being crabby and impatient and plain tired. As I prayed, I felt the irritation slipping away. Next, I prayed for forgiveness for the boys, for their fighting and crabbiness. Before I knew it, Grant was lying his head in my lap. Then he was climbing up me. How could I continue to be irritated and angry. These are MY boys and I love them so much. Yes, they can certainly irritate me. But, I know I can also irritate them. But, God has really given us an amazing relationship. I firmly believe this is because HE is the center of it.
The boys are in bed. The girls are reading to each other. Greg is sitting across from me reading something - out loud. It makes it VERY HARD for me to concentrate on what I am typing, so I will go before my irritation comes back with a vengeance. Night.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thankfulness Abounds
I have so much to be thankful for. But if you have read one word I have said, I think you might already know that. But, I cannot express enough the greatness, faithfulness and love of my God. As I was sitting here paying bills last night, thinking we are never going to make it, worrying about how to pay all the bills.....I realized that every single month our bills are paid. Every. Single. Month. Period. God is so good to us. We could never earn this type of provision, this type of love. It is truly unbelievable. Greg makes less money than he has in years and yet, by the wonderful grace of God, we still eat, are clothed and housed and even do some fun things. I am certainly feeling content, despite the attempts to look at houses yesterday.
(As a footnote to this....a dear friend asked me yesterday if I was "forcing" contentment on the house front. I can easily and truthfully answer "no" to this. Clearly, I would like my own house, but I also realize that right where I am now is exactly where God has put me and when it is time for me (my family) to move from here, He will let us know.)
So, I looked at a house yesterday. Actually I looked at 3. Funny thing is, I was supposed to look at 7 - and 4 of them canceled! And....as if that was not enough, while I was at the first one, I received a call from the school that Grace was in the office with a migraine headache - the exact thing that happened the last time I was looking at houses during the day. I thought, OK LORD, do you really want me to stop looking at houses? I kind of figured yes. So I told Greg about the houses and he really couldn't talk and didn't really seem to care, but later in the day he called me and wanted me to schedule to see this one house - so he could see it. As I was in the process of scheduling it, I received an email with information on that house. The price had just dropped! OK, now what was I to think? Is this yes? Is this no? Is this proceed with caution? I am very confused. Greg seemed to like the house but if we were to do it it would have to be for much less than the asking price. So we will just see what materializes.
(I feel like my thought pattern is all over the place today - sorry.)
Another thing I have to be especially thankful for is.....my marriage. Greg said in church on Wednesday night that our moving to Illinois, even though it was difficult, was the best thing to happen to our marriage and our family. And I totally agree. Then yesterday I was talking with a friend who lives in our old subdivision and she was telling me about some people who were getting a divorce. The sad thing about this is that it is like divorce is spreading through that subdivision like a disease. There are so many couples that have gotten divorced or are in the process, since we left, it is scary. Yet, God had a plan for us. Am I saying that we would have ended up divorced is we stayed there? I don't know and honestly, I don't care. God took (OK ripped) us from there and planted us in an area with fresh (soybean processing smelling) air and allowed us to grow. Not only as a couple and as a family, but most importantly, in Him. I LOVE THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING!!!!! It is so cool to look back and see God's hand all over your life.
(As a footnote to this....a dear friend asked me yesterday if I was "forcing" contentment on the house front. I can easily and truthfully answer "no" to this. Clearly, I would like my own house, but I also realize that right where I am now is exactly where God has put me and when it is time for me (my family) to move from here, He will let us know.)
So, I looked at a house yesterday. Actually I looked at 3. Funny thing is, I was supposed to look at 7 - and 4 of them canceled! And....as if that was not enough, while I was at the first one, I received a call from the school that Grace was in the office with a migraine headache - the exact thing that happened the last time I was looking at houses during the day. I thought, OK LORD, do you really want me to stop looking at houses? I kind of figured yes. So I told Greg about the houses and he really couldn't talk and didn't really seem to care, but later in the day he called me and wanted me to schedule to see this one house - so he could see it. As I was in the process of scheduling it, I received an email with information on that house. The price had just dropped! OK, now what was I to think? Is this yes? Is this no? Is this proceed with caution? I am very confused. Greg seemed to like the house but if we were to do it it would have to be for much less than the asking price. So we will just see what materializes.
(I feel like my thought pattern is all over the place today - sorry.)
Another thing I have to be especially thankful for is.....my marriage. Greg said in church on Wednesday night that our moving to Illinois, even though it was difficult, was the best thing to happen to our marriage and our family. And I totally agree. Then yesterday I was talking with a friend who lives in our old subdivision and she was telling me about some people who were getting a divorce. The sad thing about this is that it is like divorce is spreading through that subdivision like a disease. There are so many couples that have gotten divorced or are in the process, since we left, it is scary. Yet, God had a plan for us. Am I saying that we would have ended up divorced is we stayed there? I don't know and honestly, I don't care. God took (OK ripped) us from there and planted us in an area with fresh (soybean processing smelling) air and allowed us to grow. Not only as a couple and as a family, but most importantly, in Him. I LOVE THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING!!!!! It is so cool to look back and see God's hand all over your life.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Can Jesus Be Demanded into Your Heart?
I was just talking with the girls and Jadyn asked who was better God or Jesus. I explained how they are the same, yet different, and that Jesus is who died for our sins. He is who we ask into our hearts. I told her that he will return one day and take us to heaven to live with Him forever. She said, "I don't want to go to heaven forever." I said, "Well, the only other place is....*nod, nod*.....you know....hell." Grace chirped in, "You do not want to go there. It is terrible." Jadyn looked at me, she looked up and said, very matter-of-factly, "Jesus......GET INTO MY HEART." I told her that maybe, just maybe she might want to ask. Who knows? If her heart is right, that is all that matters. I just think she could ask Jesus a little nicer. That's all I'm saying. However, she did immediately cover her face, and within a few seconds she said that she asked Jesus into her heart in her mind. I told her is doesn't really matter how you ask or even what you say. God knows your heart. He knows when you are serious and when you are being silly. What a precious night for a mom!
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