A simple little church, in a simple tiny town. If I ever doubted that God chose me and had a plan specifically for me all I need to do is look at this little church, set perfectly in place. Here in this town where it seems life would be easy, peaceful and serene. A place where sin ran abundant. It never occured to a child of 10 that there was danger all around. In this little town where the entire school consisted of only 16 students within 7 grades. How much wrong could there possibly be, right? It seems life's lessons are learned early on. By the time I was 10 I lived around drunks, child molestors, child abusers, homosexuals, thiefs, drug addicts, pornography, gang members, teen pregnancies, bankruptcy, and the list continues. The education I received about life happend right here, nestled between the mountains overlooking one small church.

Every day I looked at this church and wondered if God existed why am I surrounded by this? God seemed like some huge being that existed far out of reach for me or anyone here. He couldn't possibly care about a lost world. It almost felt like I was living on the land of misfits and we would never be wanted by a perfect, holy, loving God. We did not belong in his world as we were all so full of sin. Understand I had no teaching about God or his word or any of that. I believed in God, that he existed. That was about as deep as my knowledge went. What I didn't know, was that God was right there with me. He saw everything and much more that I did not. He saw the thoughts and hearts of man. He knew the evil that existed and I believe he shielded me from so much more.

As I look at this church, it symbolizes a God that desires to have us know him. He sits and waits. He does not force himself upon us. He does however, persue us. He loves us and he seeks after us. I know he was seeking me, even then. He was asking me to draw nearer. He gave me just enough light that I knew there was more to the story. I always felt it in my heart. To find good in people was not enough. I had to find the wrong, the sin. I had to realize that I belonged here just as much as any of the others. I am a sinner. He is a savior. Those are our roles. He loves us in spite of the sin and desires that we would love him too.

I have since come to know Him in a much deeper way. I can honestly say that I love him more each day. It amazes me that even in the same family, we all have a different story. I went one direction and my siblings went different ways. A relationship with Christ is not based on who our parents are, how we are raised or where we live. It is a personal relationship. I don't understand it fully, but I can trust the author of my life.

This one simple picture stirs up more emotion within me than I ever imagined. It's just a simple little church. It is a symbol of light in the darkness. As a child, ok, even as an adult, I would dream of my prince riding in on a white horse to rescue me. To save me and to love me. Here he is, do you see him? He will never let me go. He loves me with an everlasting love. He did not let me walk away, but kept asking me to come near. Can you hear him whisper your name? I can. He placed a weeping willow tree in my yard and I would sit for hours and listen to the gentle whisper of the wind. Could that have been him? Just a short walk down the hill and there was a babbling brook, Basin Creek. I sat along that creek bed day after day. Listening to the water rush past me. Looking for minnows and hoping not see a snake. I never tired of it. I loved the bridges that allowed me to walk from one side to the other. I loved to watch twigs and leaves as they floated gently over the water. Peaceful in the midst of pain. He placed a symbol of goodness at the base of the hill on which I lived. He faced me, and watched over me. He greeted me every day. He walked beside me on the mountain tops and along the creek beds. He planted wild flowers all around me. He displayed gorgeous mountains to surround me, almost like a hug. He placed people in my life that would lead and guide me to Him. Yet, he asked me to walk among them to see the heartache, the pain, the sadness. I saw a lot. I cried a lot. Why me Lord? Why not some of these others who were hurting so badly? I don't have all the answers and I do not know how he will draw each one to himself, but I have to believe if he planted this seed within my heart, he can do anything. He loves us with a love we do not understand. I have been forever changed. He is my all in all. He is my prince, my knight, my savior, my best friend. All I ever need can be found in him.

I love this picture. I pray you have a simple little church that draws you to our savior. That whipsers hope into your life. Let the Son light your way in this dark and fallen world. Take time to listen as he whispers your name.

just tryin to help!

September 3, 2010 ~ Day three

Early this morning there was a discussion in our house that went something like this.......

"Mom, I had to use my cell phone as a light so I could see in my room." (Jessica)

"That is what lights are for." (Dad)

"My light has been burned out for weeks now, I am just waiting for someone to change it." (Jess)

"This is the first I have heard of it. I will try to fix it tonight or this weekend." (Dad)

"I can change it for her!!!" (Aaron)

"Thanks bud, that's ok, just wait and you can help me." (Dad)


Dad and Jessica leave to start their day. I tell Aaron I am going to take a quick shower and then I will take him to school.
Meanwhile...........

Aaron thinks to himself, I could change that light, I just know I could. Wouldn't Dad be surprised and happy to not have one more thing to have to do this weekend? So he takes a bar stool and screw driver into the bedroom and proceeds to unscrew the cover to the lights. As he does this, the glass cover falls and shatters all over his sisters floor.

Terror strikes his fragile heart. Oh no! I am going to be in so much trouble. I was only trying to help. I was doing a good thing. He knocks on the door and is visibly upset. I ask him what is wrong and he says... nothing I will tell you about it when you are done.

I come out of the bathroom ready for something awful. He is in tears and very upset by this point.

"Aaron, what is wrong?" (mom)

"Mom, I am so sorry. I should have listend to Dad. He told me to wait but I thought I could help!" (Aaron)

"Help with what? What did you do?" (mom)

"I tried to change the light in Jessica's room and now there is glass everywhere." (Aaron)

"Oh no, Aaron, are you ok? Did you get cut?" (mom)

"I'm ok, I didn't get hurt but the light cover is broken! Dad is going to be so mad at me." (Aaron)

"Aaron, it is ok. Accidents happen. Yes, you should have listend to Daddy and this is why. You could have been hurt or you could break something. That is why Dad asked you to wait. It isn't because he didn't think you could do it but some things are better done with help. It will be ok. We will get the glass picked up and we will fix the light later. Thank you for trying to help." (mom)

Aaron and I went in and proceeded to pick up the glass and vacuum up the tiny pieces. I just pray we got it all.
The broken glass was easy to clean up, his broken spirit was harder to see. Did I get all the big pieces? What are the small pieces that will pierce him later? I so dearly love his spirit of helpfulness. He has a strong desire to prove himself. He has a kind heart and is always willing to help but especially wants to help with things that seem big. This 30 day challenge could not have come at a better time. What a lesson knowing when to take initiative and help and when to obey. Obedience should always come first. I can think of a number of times I have cried out to my heavenly Father with the same words. "I was only trying to help" and as is usually the case, he asked me to obey first. Whoops. Sometimes we forget that part.

Obedience is always the most important of all.

Such a great start to a long weekend. Lord, protect my children as they go through their day. Keep them safe and help them to seek you along the way. I am here to love them and guide them but I know they will stumble and their choices may not always be the best. Help me to be patient in my love and discipline. Thank you for giving me such sweet little ones. They are tender and loving and compassionate, just like you.

Day 2 on a journey of Excellence in Every way!

Day 2 ~ and the journey continues.

Today, as with most days, I was pulled from a peaceful slumber into a frenzy of chaos. Is it any wonder mornings are not my most favorite time of day? Today, yet another day to rejoice, as my youngest was ready to get dressed and needed help, and the good news is that she woke up dry. Yes, potty training for the most part has been completed and with success. So thrilled to be done with diapers. Every day is a day to rejoice with her success.

Jessica was up and ready to leave for school.

Aaron was the next to be gotten up and ready for school. He is much like his mother in that he would like to wake on his own and that seldom happens. He, however, has a much better attitude about facing the morning with a smile. He got up and got himself ready for school. Today was the big day. He would find out if he made a part in the school play. He is so excited about it and really felt his audition went well. He told me he would call at lunch time and let me know if he got a part. Much to his disappointment, he did not make it. He seems to be handling it quite well. His greater disappointment turned out to be that he took a test yesterday and was hopeing for an A + but instead got an A -. I love his hard work and determination. He sets high goals for himself and strives very hard to achieve them. He is a blessing to be around. He encourages me every day to better, always to be better.

Today, I prayed that God would give me wisdom and insight on this journey. That he would show me the excellence in my children. He would reveal things to me that I take for granted and shut my eyes to, instead of embrace and rejoice. As, He is always faithful to do, when I take the time to listen, he revealed his answer to me.

Proverbs 2: 1-11

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair -every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you.

Isn't He amazing? As I cry out for answers, understanding, open eyes, wisdom, knowledge, etc. He gives the perfect answer. He has blessed me with three amazing kids. All of which are unique and different and special in their own ways. He has gifted them and given them temperaments that are all their own. It is a most wonderful opportunity to watch as they become the individuals that God has designed them to be. I am blessed beyond words to be a part of their lives. I know that just as he has created them, he created them to be born of me. So, he will give me all the wisdom and understanding and knowledge necessary to know how to best parent them and love them and guide them. I will undoubtedly fail in many ways, but God will not.

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned as a mom was with my first born. She is a miracle baby, in the truest sense of the word. I, will never forget the day I knelt beside a hospital bed, crying out to God to save this precious child and heard him gently tell me to release her into his hands. I knew then, the meaning of "God gives and takes away" on such a deep level. I had nothing left to do but trust. I vividly recall "giving" her back to Him. It was in that moment I believe he healed her. He gave her back, he didn't have to and he doesn't always. In this situation, he did. It was then, I understood completely that life is precious. None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow and that all of my children belong exclusively to him. He has just entrusted them to me for as long as it is His will. So I pray, let me be found faithful.

It is only day 2 but I have come to realize that this journey is so much more about my relationship with God than about finding excellence in my children. They are perfect, I know that full well, because they are made and created by Him. The struggle for me is in opening my eyes to all that is good.

30 Days of Excellence!

What an intimidating challenge! I have willingly and joyfully accepted the challenge of living the next 30 days in excellence. To look at my children as the blessing that they are and to use my words in such a way as to build them up and encourage them.

Here's how my day started:
I said a quick prayer as I jumped out of bed. Thinking of all the things that needed to be done and OH the dread! When all of a sudden it hit like lightening, today is the first of September, I must be enlightening! I can do this, Lord, with your help I whispered. I am an encourager by nature, right? And before I was even awake and alert, I was greeted by my 3 year old.... "mommy I need a different skirt, this one is wet!" Well, of course my mind raced to why it was wet... "Did you wet the bed?" Yes was her reply and so my spirit grumbled. As I sleepily and begrudgingly stumbled my way out of my bedroom, I thought to myself, oh how I detest first thing in the morning. To my happy surprise, she had not wet the bed, in fact she was dry. Everything about her was dry; she just wanted to get dressed. Ah.. my opportunity to praise. Good job, Justina! You are dry. I am so proud of you!! (and I meant this too, but truth be told I was most thrilled to not have extra laundry to wash, dry and fold). Then I turned to my 14 year old who had a look about her that matched my mood. "Have you eaten breakfast? You have to leave soon." No, she said, I am not hungry. My mind recalled that she had said the same thing last night at dinner and immediately I began to worry. "Jessica, you have to eat. You need energy, you cannot go all day without food." My sweet husband jumped in and asked her to eat just a couple of bites of yogurt. So she solemnly walked into the kitchen and opend a yogurt and had .. 2 bites, just as requested. That left me with a half eaten yogurt that no one else wanted to touch. Grrrrr.. my spirit grumbled. Within minutes she was walking out the door. Yes, I said goodbye, but was I encouraging? Not that I recall. That left me with my 11 year old. He is by far the most good natured child in our house. I reminded him to please eat something while I took a shower and got myself together for the day. He did so and even managed to put his dish in the sink and put the food away. Another grand opportunity to praise, however, this time instead of praising him for doing what was right, I found something else to harp about. Aaron, I asked you take the garbage out. "oh, yeah, and he immediately did so." Another grand opportunity of praise, I may have mumbled thank you but did he really know how much I appreciated it? UGH, this encouraging and praising thing is so hard first thing in the morning. I did compose myself enough to tell him that I am very proud of him and that I would be praying for him today as he is auditioning for a part in the school play. He is not in drama but it was an open audition and he jumped at the opportunity.

Well, that was the way my morning started. So I thought, when I get home, I am going to spend some much needed time with the Lord before I attempt at this blog. So I did, and as so often happens with these intimate moments, his word was encouraging to ME. Well, of course it would be, as he is on this journey with me. He will lead by example, he will love the unlovable, he will find what is right and praiseworthy and show me love. He also lovingly, shows me that part that is not right, that part that needs work. He shows me where I am falling short and I need his spirit to fill me to righteousness. Oh how undeserving I am to be a child of God. On my own, I am unworthy, thank you Jesus for giving me your righteousness, when I deserve condemnation.
I prayed, "God give me wisdom and help me take every opportunity to praise and encourage today." He replied: "Proverbs 16:23 - A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction." Oh, I said. So, if my heart is not right the words of my mouth will not be filled with praise and encouragement. The instruction that comes from my lips will be from a heart that is not filled with love. Ouch. Ok, Lord, here is my heart.... create in me a clean heart, oh Lord. And the very next verse.. Proverbs 16:24 - Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Well, this told me that with God, anything is possible. That with pleansant words they can bring sweetness to the soul and HEALING to the bones. God is good... all the time. He is able to heal a lifetime of hurts. Our words are powerful, able to bring life and death to those who hear them. They can be a healing balm or cut like a knife. The choice is up to me. I can choose to use my words to bring life.This is the goal of the challenge afterall. I cannot take back careless words from the past, but I can put them in the healing hands of my Lord and He can bring restoration to the souls of those I have injured with my words. Praise you Lord, Jesus. Reading on, of course, the verse that brought me to this place in the beginning: Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Well, day one has started off a bit tough and I am sure there will be many more difficult days ahead, but even in the midst of my sinful, human nature, God is able to bring good. I cling to his power and fall before him asking forgivness. I, definitely need this 30 day challenge. My children need me to accept this challenge. May God be glorified through this life changing process.

Thanks Dana!

Endings, Summer and New Beginnings

Whew! We made it to the end of the school year. It is a bittersweet moment! We are closing the chapter on Elementary school... well, for a while anyhow. Justina is like a gift that keeps on giving as we will enter the doors of an Elementary school again in just a couple of years,but for now.....
Aaron finished the 5th grade and did an excellent job. I could not be any prouder of his accomplishments but even with all the academic success he has had, I am most proud of his heart. He is kind, loving and good. Those are things that are hard to find in the world today.
Jessica is finished with middle school and moving into high school. I really cannot believe that she is going to be a Freshman. That is so impossible to me. It is a great moment as we look to the future and what it holds. My greatest desire is that my children will look beyond the future to the one who holds the future. I want them to know God above all else because the future is uncertain at best. There are no definites, no promises of a brighter tomorrow. I want them to gain skills, to learn, to gain knowledge and to be successful but even all of that will not be enough if they do not know the one that holds all our tomorrows in His hands.
Now, it is summer. Such great memories. I remember the feeling of freedom as I walked out of the school doors into the bright sun and thought... Summer! Time for some fun in the sun. It wasn't long and I was hot and bored. Funny how we seldom remember that though, we always remember swimming and playing and camping and spitting watermelon seeds. I love that we have so many senses because it makes our memories more vivid. When I think of Summer I think of the sun, bright, hot and burning alllllllllll day long. I think of blue skies and white fluffy clouds. I love the Montana summers where evenings were cool and so were early mornings. As a child it was one big adventure waiting to happen. Walking in the cool creek. Splashing in the cold water. We always wanted to walk barefoot and tried to be tough. My sister always won that game. She could and did walk year round without her shoes on. There were always cookouts, bbq's and just time to relax. I love the slowness of the summertime. I liked to sleep in, letting the sun shine through the window and knowing I didn't have to get up unless I wanted to. Oh to be a child again. So many fun times. It seems that as an adult summer is just not as much fun anymore. It is kind of like Christmas, more fun for the kids, always.
We always have some fun stuff planned for the summer, for my kids vacation typically means going home to Montana. We love it so much and miss it and Summer is the best time to go home. So, that is what vacation will mean to them. Family and friends and Montana. That seems to be the highlight for us every summer. It is one thing we look forward to the most but seems to go by so very fast.
Before long we will be back into the routine of school. Learning our way around new school buildings, meeting new teachers and making new friends. The excitement and fear is amazing. It is exciting. I know that both Jessica and Aaron will do wonderfully well. They have everything they need. I am excited to watch them step into their new found freedoms and new responsibilities. What an amazing transformation. Like watching my little caterpillers become beautiful butterflies.

It has been a while since I have been on here, hopefully I will return soon. For now, enjoy the long days of summer. Even those days when you are bored. When the boredom bug hits, it is a sure sign that you need an adventure.. go find one.

Rainbows and flowers

The other day Aaron had a ballgame. His team was going to play the Red Sox! He was so excited. I was home and going to take him and Daddy was at a business meeting. Well, as luck would have it, it rained....... and rained, and rained. His game was cancelled but he had his heart set on it so much that he insisted that I still take him to the ball park just to make sure. Well, sure enough, not a soul was around. He was bummed but we still had some time together and I think that was good. When we got home he insisted he could still practice and I told him, not in the rain. It wasn't long and the rain stopped and he got to enjoy one of God's greatest promises. The rainbow. It was beautiful. Not as much fun as playing ball, but a great reminder that rainbows follow the rain.

This and then Mother's Day. I could really ramble about that, but I won't. Just going to give a brief update on the wonders of it all. We had a great day. I was at home with the family. I got roses from them. Beautiful pink roses. They were perfect. They got me some of my favorite things, but the truth is... they are my favorite things. I love being a mom. I always knew I wanted to be a mom and it is the greates joy of my life. I also know that these little lives that have been entrusted to my ca

re are who they are, not because of me, but because they are fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving creator. What a treasure that has been given to me. It is a challenge but worth every bit of pain that comes along. Just days before I received my roses I was in Michaels and the

y had their silk flowers on sale. I have been needing some for this amazing vase Dan bought me for our 15th anniversary. Well, I needed to get more than I did, but it is a start. I am so not good at arranging flowers. I wanted something bright. So, we have sunflowers and a big white daisy. I love it. makes me feel..... Happy!!

It is the little things in life. Ballgames, rain, rainbows and flowers. Whatever God has for me let me receive it with joy.

There is joy in this journey we just have to look at it.

Not just friends.... Best Friends

Best Friends! Could there be anything better? I had the opportunity to reflect on that and once again count my many blessings. As I write this, let it be known that there are many special people in my life that are dear and treasured friends but there are a handful that are unlike any others. They are all special to me but not close friends with one another, which I also find a bit odd. Instead of quietly reflecting I thought I would share my thoughts on my blog. I know that anyone who reads this will then reflect on the friends in their lives and recall those that are special. I cannot choose a "best" because they are all the very best so I am going to go in order of who I have known the longest.

Victoria! I love this person for so many reasons. She is the first Best Friend. I have known her since I was 5 and before I ever attended school. Our dad's worked together in the mines and that alone gave us some common ground! Hahaha! We didn't understand being best friends because even at a young age I think we felt a closer bond. So we began to tell people we were "almost cousins". I am sure some adults wondered about that statement, but to us it just meant that we were not just friends but family as well. As we grew older we began to run in different circles. Our interests were different and so we didn't always spend as much time together as one would think. It really didn't change things though because when we were together we could talk about anything and everything and we did. We had a very unique and deep understanding of one another. We even had the chance to attend the same school together and still did not hang out with each other much. I am not sure other people would have even linked us together as being close friends at all. A best kept secret I guess. As life carried us in different directions we did lose contact with one another but never lost our connection. Through the years we always found each other and tried to catch up, only to quickly move on with this ever busy world. Well, facebook is a blessing unlike anything I have ever seen, and it brought us together again. So we did what we do best, we talked on the phone. It was as if we had never spent a single day apart. I could tell her anything and I knew she would get me, she would understand and she would not judge me. Even when we don't always agree on the same things, which, by the way.... seems seldom, we can accept those differences. A precious and rare jewel indeed. I love ya "cuz"!

Then there is Dawna. We were basically told by our parents, you two are friends. Oh... ok we thought and we decided to give this friendship a try. From the beginning it was clear that we were not much alike. I always think of Dawna as being very strong and independant. Qualities I admire but not ones I really had at a young age. Our families shared a common thing as well, they both ran a small grocery store in a small town. My family had it and went bankrupt and then Dawn's family gave it a go. Good luck to anyone on that journey. Well, to make matters worse or better depending on the way you look at it, God brought a very special baby into our lives. A baby that my family loved and adored and a baby that Dawna's family loved and adored. This is the stuff that Lifetime Movie Network makes movies about. My nephew David came and blessed us all. His life is nothing short of being an answer to my prayers. Not that I was praying for my sister to have a baby, but I so wanted to be a big sister and have someone to "boss around". Well, I got my wish for a few years, and guess what, as much as I wanted to boss him around, he was the boss. He had me wrapped around his finger and I would have given my life for him. Well, it wasn't enough for Dawna to be my friend, she wanted to be family too. We used to think up ways we could grow up and be related to one another. We decided we could just drive semi trucks, that sounded cool. Purple and pink polka dots. Well........ we did become family. She became the big sister to my nephew. Now she gets to boss him around. Must I always live out my dreams vicariously through my friends??? Well, there isn't anyone else I would want to play that role in his life. I love you Dawna. More than you will ever know. Not sure if this makes us sisters or if I am now your aunt. And in either case... I get to boss you around :)

Well, then there are two that I "met" around the same time. They happen to be actual family but became so much more, and really....that is a miracle for family to be friends. Most of the time we can't choose family. My cousins, Theresa and Donna. I met you as a child but didn't become friends until I was a teenager. Family has brought us together but there is a bond that is unlike anything I have with my other relatives. They really are like sisters. Neither of them had a sister so we became sisters to each other. I, however, do have a sister and she is my hero. That's another blog. To this day, we are close and I expect that will never change.

Well, then there is Karla. She is probably one that surprises me most. I knew her and her family all of my life. Her Dad, Mr. Beall, was my bus driver in 1st grade. I loved him. The whole family was known by all. They are the kind of people who would do anything for anyone. Awesome people. Karla... well, she seemed to be the loud one of the bunch. I was scared to death of her. That being the case, I steered clear from her path. Then I found myself in her presence because of a mutual friend. She is the first person I ever hit, accidentally, but nonetheless, it scared the socks off me. Her Dad sided with me so I felt ok about it. Still, I didn't expect that to be a lasting friendship. We had nothing in common and I didn't think I wanted to have anything in common with her. And, out of that grew one of the most interesting and long lasting friendships of my life. We have seen each other through a lot of tough stuff. As much as we irritate one another there is a close bond. I love her like a sister and have always referred to her as Aunt Karla. My daughter was just asking the other day how we were related and she was "aunt". Some relatives are blood and some are from the heart!

That leads me to Erin. I had the great joy of talking with her tonight on the phone. I had always heard that the friends you make in college will be your friends for life. Well, I suppose, in this case, that is true. As a college Freshman my greatest fear was getting a wierd roommate, especially on the U of M campus in Montana. Who knew what you might get. Well, I will never forget the first time I saw her and her parents. Yep... scared me to death. I decided I was an adult now and I could handle it. So I made the most of it in the beginning. Only to learn that she won my heart over. She and I, again, were opposite and really had nothing at all in common. I am learning it isn't the common things that bring people together .... it is coming together and finding the differences are what make common ground. She is a beautiful person inside and out. As we were chatting tonight she said, it is so nice to know that no matter how much time passes since we last talked, we are able to pick up as if we see one another daily. I love that about best friends. They are bound by things that cannot be seen or touched. They are the things that you don't know are even there until little moments like these.

Each of these women are special to me for various reasons. Too many to mention in detail. They have some interesting things in common though. Every one of them have mom's that have played important roles in my life too. In these friends, I have gained moms and dads and siblings. It is really amazing. The other really interesting part is that only one of the above mentioned share my faith. Yet, they are all people of faith. They are all people who have strong family values. You see, we all have something in common. Something that I was unaware of until recently.

These are the best, but there are several others. Some that I take for granted because we are more alike. I don't see them as being someone unusual for me to befriend. It doesn't make them any less special or any less important. But these are the friends that I would never in a million years have imagined that I would still be friends with as an adult. Or that our friendship would last after years of not speaking to one another. I hope everyone has a special friend or two or 5 or 10. Take time to think of your friends. They are angels from heaven. I love you all!

Sundays

Awwwww.... Sunday! This is a day that is typically one I long for and yet it is the one day all week that I seem to be on the go constantly. I am exhausted by the time I am through with a Sunday. This particular Sunday, I did not have to work at C&B. What a treat! I made up for it yesterday and worked a lot. I was thrilled to not have a ton to do today.

Church was awesome. I enjoyed the Sunday School lesson and the sermon. Apparently, God has something to tell me about jealousy. It was spoon fed to me in several ways. I didn't really feel I had an issue with it but it seems I do. So, there is plenty of work to be done in this evil heart of mine. We then went shopping and miracle of all miracles, the whole family got along. That is also a rare treat on a Sunday. Then it was home to get Aaron and go to the park for baseball practice. Another activity I miss out on quite a bit.
The sun was shining and the wind was blowing but the fresh air was so nice. It was the kind of Spring day that finds young and old out being kids again. Kites were flying, dogs were walking people, and kids were playing. The world seemed right if only for a short time. I am not sure if my lips are sunburned or wind burned but burned it seems. Jessica spent the whole time on the swings and Justina played on the slides and the swings and she also played make believe. I love that part of childhood. I had imaginary friends and played a lot of make believe and pretend. We walked on a walking trail and found a stream of water, of course she is afraid of water so we didn't stay long. As I was looking at the water, I did not expect to see much but rocks and cement beneath it but to my surprise there were minnows. It brought my childhood back to mind. I remember sitting for hours along the creek bed trying to catch these tiny little fish in the palms of my hands. Don't know what I thought I was going to do with them or what I did with them but I do remember catching them. I also remember trying to catch butterflies, flying kites, riding my bike, etc. Childhood was a fun time. So glad I get see it through the eyes of my own kids. It is quite a bit different now though.

Now we are home. Dan fixed the garage door and now he is cooking dinner. He is even making provisions for this most ridiculous diet that I started. I am so blessed. He loves his family, he works hard, plays hard and gives his all. What more could I ask for? Thank you Lord Jesus for loving me providing all my needs, even ones I take for granted or don't realize I even need.

Well, not only has Spring come, but Summer is quickly approaching. We are already counting the days til school gets out. Some of us more closely than others. We are also counting the days until we get to go on vacation. I can see the mountains in the distance. Until then, we are in "get ready" mode. It seems there is always so much to do. I am looking forward to just having some time with the kids where they can just be kids and not have to worry about "getting ready" for something.
We cross two milestones this year. Jessica will be graduating from 8th grade and transitioning into high school. Aaron will be graduating from 5th grade and moving into middle school. So hard to believe! They have come so far and it seems like such a short time. I am so thankful that I still have one little one. I am able to enjoy her at this age because I know it will be gone soon. I was so intent on moving the older two along and getting them ready for school that I may have missed some of the joy of the preschool age. Justina just gets to take her time in life and move through at her own pace. I love that. It seemed like such a challenge and sometimes still feels that way but I am so happy to have them in different stages. It makes life crazy and interesting but gives them each time to themselves too. One thing is for sure. There is no shortage of prayer time in our family. I am at a complete loss. My job is to train them up in the way they should go, the problem is, I am not so sure as I go along my way that I am doing such a great job of that. Thank goodness we only see today. As we train them, God is training us. That is my saving grace. I know that as I am called to release my babies and let them grow, God is always holding us in his hands, ready to catch us.

Ok.. well, thanks for the walk down memory lane and the moment of reflection on my part. I am so serious, I can and will ramble about anything and everything and in the end, say very little. That's ok. I have the freedom to do that!

What's your blog about???

When first thinking of starting a blog a friend asked, "What are you going to blog about?" I wasn't sure, I thought just life and stuff, I guess. Then when setting up the blog I needed a name for it, so many things come to mind for something like this.... oh the decisions... hmm.

Blessings, prayers and promises came to mind. Upon further thought, I really liked it.

So I started to reflect on life and the name of this blog.

Blessings: God has given me so many. In fact, more than I can count or comprehend. I think of the obvious ones, my family, my children. The bible tells me that children are a blessing from the Lord. So I know beyond a doubt they are my greatest blessing. There are other basic blessings, things we all have and often take for granted. Isn't that the way with our blessings usually though? We really realize how blessed we are when we lose something, or someone near us loses something. For instance, I love my husband. I know he is a blessing to me. However, it isn't until I hear of someone losing their husband that I start to wonder how I would survive without him. I know God would provide, because he is faithful, but there would be such a void. Dan is a more than a blessing.
Then I thought of all the little blessings; sunshine, smiles, hugs, rain, flowers... well, the list could go on forever. God shows us in a million little ways just how much he loves us. We just are usually too caught up in being busy that we miss so much.

Prayers: Well, I don't even know where to begin with this one. Prayer is one of the most amazing privelages in my life. To think that a Holy, righteous, perfect God wants to "talk" with me. That he is concerned about that things that concern us, is beyond what I can understand. He knows everything, so why pray? Because God wants to be our friend too. He wants to dwell among us. He wants us to rely on Him, to trust Him, to find our greatest joy in Him. He is crazy about us. His love for us knows no limits and no bounds. In fact, there is not a love like it, because we are human and incapeable of loving the way He does. It is the kind of love we all long for and want and seek, but seldom find and when we find it in Him I am not sure we really understand what we have found. The power of prayer has been proven in my life over and over again. I am so thankful that I have a Savior that loved me enough to grant me access to my creator and Heavenly Father. Prayer ...... so much more can be said but for now, it is the center of my life, the most vital component of my day!
This leads me to promises: In the world we live in promises are made and broken daily. In the life God has given us, we have promises that are never broken. He will fulfill every promise he makes to us.

This blog is sometimes lighthearted and fun; upbeat and optimistic. It is also spiritual and thought provoking. It is a place where the day to day things of life can be shared. Where friends and family can come and see what is happening in the Reeder house. A place where we can laugh and cry and enjoy the life we have been given. There are so many things to discover and learn as we journey through this life. The backdrop of it all is the blessings, prayers and promises that God has given us.

Spring

Well, it has been a very busy Spring already! We bounced forward and have been hopping ever since.

My oldest just turned 14 on the April 1st... no joke. She is a teen in all her glory and even with all the changes she is going through I love her more with each new day. She has brought me the greatest challenges as a mom and has really been used by God to stretch me in ways I didn't know I could go. Life is never dull with her around and I am so thankful for the laughter and the tears. Right on the heels of celebrating her big day, or shall I say... after two weeks of celebrating her special day, we jumped right into Easter.

What an amazing time.

Dan's Mom and Aunt came for a visit. They spent 10 days with us and we all enjoyed the visit. They took Jessica shopping for her birthday which was an adventure. We all managed to find a compromise in buying clothes and that was a true blessing for sure. Dan was gone for the first few days of the visit, but when we he returned he jumped right into the fun. We enjoyed coloring Easter eggs and I think the adults had just as much fun as the kids, go figure.

In addition we did some sight seeing. We went to the Botanical gardens in Fort Worth and had a full day of sight seeing. It was a beautiful day and the fresh air and walking were great! We also took Linda and Hope on a tour of the South Fork Ranch. This is where the hit tv show "Dallas" was filmed. It was really neat to walk on the famous grounds and to hear the story behind the show. The gift shops were so neat!

After all this bouncing I have hit with a thud! So thankful for the fun but so glad to be getting back into the routine things of life too. Don't worry, this is just a pushing off point as the momentum never dies down much with three busy kids to keep me hopping.

Nothing like a Grandma's love

One of the greatest gifts our children have is the love they receive from their granparents. It is a blessing many take for granted and some never experience. I marvel at the way a small child can bring out the child in an adult. I love they way they can delight one another. It is special with a parent and child too but there is something different about a Grandma's touch. When I am able to just sit back and watch them interact with one another it gives me a greater appreciation for my own parents, for my children and for the season of life that I am in right now. If only our children knew how treasured they were... if only our parents knew how important they are in the lives of us all.
I wish we lived closer to home so my children could have daily interactions with their grandparents. I guess being so far away makes those times together even more meaningful.
It is a busy week and we are all tired but it is so worth it. Today while the kids were in school Justina kept us all entertained. I love that little angel so much. Thank goodness she was on her best behavior today and when she felt herself getting ugly, she asked to go take a nap. Smart girl. Today Grandma made her famous applesauce that my kids absolutely love. She made banana bread. Then she made dinner. I wonder, can she just move in forever? Tomorrow we will play some more while the older kids are in school. Then we will have birthday fun on April 1st. I cannot believe my baby is going to be 14. I don't feel very rested that is for sure. I guess there will be time for that later. Right now, we are making memories and treasuring time spent with loved ones. Time is so short when you realize how much you want to do with the people you love. Live each day to its fullest and make sure your loved ones know they mean so much to you.

Pictures to come.. I promise :)

Windy Days and Dog Kisses

Saturday has come and as we say good-bye to the slumber party friend (s), we start a new day. The sun is shining and calling to one young teen, "please come out and play!" So, Jessica says, "Mom, today would be a great day to go to the park, can we?" Ok, against my wishes as I cannot get rid of this headache. So we go, right after a quick trip to Starbucks. Jessica finds her favorite spot, swinging with the wind. The wind picks up and Justina can hardly stand, much less find the slide through the hair in her eyes. As the wind blows through our hair, blinding us, Justina decides she would rather not be too far off the ground. So we walk a bit and watch Jessica carefree and happy. All of a sudden, it came from across the park, running full speed ahead, tail wagging, bouncing through the wind..... yep, you guessed it. The friendliest dog ever landed right on Justina's face, smothering her with wet, sloppy dog kisses. She shrieks and screams as if he gobbled her face off. She was not hurt but very scared and traumatized. All I could think was..."Yuk, I've been kissed by a dog! Get the hot water, get the iodine, get the disinfectant!!!!!" The poor pup had to go home. Justina demanded that we return to the car and sit there until Jessica was ready to go. Well, one of the three of us thought the time at the park was fun and well spent... the other two, we did not enjoy our time at the park. And this is how you learn that one persons complete delight and joy can be another persons trauma. I guess it is all perspective.

Here we are, home again. Not much more going to happen today. I am going to try to get rid of this headache, play on my computer and take a nap. The girls are going to do.. um..... well, whatever they want so long as the house does not get messed up in the process, and tomorrow, we will do laundry and more cleaning.

Thanks for enjoying the park with us on this blustery, windy day! Stay tuned...............

Weekends full of wonder

So, this is where it all begins, or at least where you can pick up and walk through this journey with us. Blogging, I am not entirely sure I even know the purpose for this but it sounded fun and may possibly be a way for me to think through things. A form of therapy, if you will.
Spring has sprung, despite a refreshing snowfall to remind us of just how fragile life is and how in the blink of an eye God has the ability to change even the ways of nature. With the springing ahead I find myself longing for the darkness that gave just a little more sleep to a weary mom. God has richly blessed me with morning people. My husband Dan and my oldest daughter Jessica have this amazing ability to POP out of bed wide awake and happy as can be that the day is starting. Morning people are incredible. They seem to feel the rest of the world should also wake up bright eyed and cheery. I on the other hand, and my son, Aaron, were not so blessed with this morning cheerfulness. It takes us some time to open our eyes and get reacquainted with life. Many view us as grumpy which we will deny completely. We are not grumpy we are just not fully present. All this said, I feel it may explain my ever increasing need for coffee. I do not know if I could even survive if I did not have this wonder drug. However, even on days like this, coffee is not enough. I have finally reached a point where the only thing that will help a weary, tired, worn out mom, is an extra dose of zzzzzz's. I have been looking forward to this weekend for some time now.
Dan and Aaron are going on a Father/Son retreat with our church. They are both very excited and I am thrilled that they have this opportunity. Even more thrilled that I will have a testosterone free weekend :) I would say it is going to be a relaxing girls weekend but Jessica is having her annual birthday/slumber party. The only thing is, she only has one friend that was able to come. What to do... what to do. I am not going to worry about it. I will let them decide how they want to spend the time to celebrate this beautful child. That then leaves me and my little princess. Thank goodness she goes to bed early. I am certain she has much to do with my lack of energy as I feel it draining from me and must be transferring into her as she is full of energy and on the go. I love this child. She makes me laugh and smile when nothing else can.

Ok so, this blogging, may be a bad thing. I could go on forever about nothing. Seriously.. forever. I will spare you the rest of the saga for tomorrow :) I am most excited that my friend is going to help me be more creative with this blog business and I am going to be taking more pictures to post. Hold on, grab some coffee and join me on this wild journey we call life.