I know what you are thinking....What? Why would God care about our washer? Well, I think the same thing but you see, He does! Ok, maybe not the washer in itself but He cares about the circumstances around my life and takes care of all it even the washer! Let me explain better...
We purchased a very nice machine a couple of years ago after saving to pay cash since our old one broke. At that time, we took our clothes to the laundry mat for almost 3 months! It was nuts. So once we decided on what to buy, we have been in love with this silly machine because it does 3 loads of laundry in one load! Anything that saves time around here is a love of mine. :)
A month ago, this blessing of a machine became a bit shall I say "agitated". (sorry couldn't help it!) It started blinking "F1" at me during the fill up times in the cycles. I read what that meant and knew we were in trouble. We did not have money to pay for someone to fix it. We did not have money to go to the laundry mat either! Plus, this machine is only two years old! What's up with that? Luckily, every time I restarted it, as the instructions told me to try, I was able to get it to go. So, I prayed over that silly machine and God made it hold out to finish our laundry each week....until Sunday. On Sunday night, Matt had to take our laundry over to the office to do. He was there until 1:30. (much smaller machine!) That did not bless him and I felt horrible! It got us researching the problem and brainstorming how to fix it.
Matt found online that there were others who had this problem and that the manufacturer took care of it. So I called yesterday. I told them what we have had happening and guess what....they are sending a repairman out to our house tomorrow!! Best part~ FREE OF CHARGE!!! Did you catch that? FREE! God is amazing how He manages to show us He cares and will take care of it all....even a washing machine. I know some would say it is not Him, but I know it is because I have been praying about it for a month and asking for Him to either fix the machine so it will just work or bring the money to fix it. He did! So that gets me to thinking, if He cares about my silly machine and fixes it, why don't I leave all the other big stuff with Him and watch Him move? No answer today..just thinking about that one.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Keeping CHRIST in Christmas!
This season really does start to make me crazy as I put on myself the need to do all the extras that make Christmas what it is "suppose" to be. However, that is just what I am being challenged to not do this year. On Sunday, our pastor spoke on having a simple Christmas this year. Making it all about Christ and not about us. And really when we get down to it, all the "extras" are really about us. We want to have the traditions with our kids and we make these things a priority. So, I was challenged when Pastor Gary mentioned that we are no different than the people of Bethlehem...we did not make room for Jesus. We do not make room for Him in our life at Christmas and we don't make him a priority. So I know for a fact that we do not want that to be true of our home. We have always made the celebration about Jesus versus Santa and I guess I thought that was good enough. I think I have over compensated with other stuff to make our girls not feel like they "missed out" of the whole Santa pull. In doing so, I have done the same thing we were trying to pull away from by not doing Santa, I have made Christmas all about us.
So I have been contemplating what to give up and some how God has made it so that certain circumstances make it easier to do so. We are not going to be writing a letter and sending cards to everyone we have ever known this year. I am going to send a photo card to those who I know pray for our family so that they can continue to do so.....I use the Christmas photo cards as prayer cards throughout the year. A different family each week is prayed over and it helps me to use the pictures.
Second thing to go, excess spending just to spend. We usually only buy three gifts for our girls for Christmas. We figure if it was good enough for Jesus...why change it! That will remain the same, but I am not going to be able to buy all of my nieces and nephews, sisters and brothers gifts this year. I just can't do it. And truly, I am so much more all about the memories we make together anyway, so I will figure out something to "give" them instead. My first thought, take all 10 kids to the lake house for a cousin sleepover which would allow all parents to go on a date night. We'll see. Still praying over this one as it really causes me to be sad that I can't buy them something. God is still working on this one yet I know they don't put getting or not getting a present from me as how much I love them. It's my issue.
Third thing to go, parties. We are invited to lots of parties and people kind of expect you to come. So I am going to bow out of them as they usually involve extra baking, buying and stress. We don't need that right now. We need peace as we get ourselves prepared to celebrate Jesus' birth. So we will do the girls' Christmas programs at church and I am hosting my co-op mom's meeting next Monday night while the family goes to Bible Study Fellowship, but after that we are done. No more. So don't be offended if you ask us to a party and we say no. We need time to be a family, playing games together, watching old movies, reading great stories, worshiping our Lord. We need time to be still before God and really allow Him to meet us in these moments before Christmas. How can we find that time if we do not be still? In order to do that, we must say no to some stuff. I guarantee you that doing that will ruffle some feathers. I just hope the people who get ruffled are able to one day understand and that God will give us the right words to say to calm those feathers if needed.
Lastly, we are not putting out lights this year. I am making that decision for my husband. He hates it. He really does. He does it for us. His girls always tell him that we are the only house that doesn't have them out. So what?! We also are the only house on our street that doesn't have Santa come and that homeschools, so why start being like everyone else in this area?! We are different by choice most of the time and truly why should we make him be more stressed at this time of year just to be like the neighbors?! So I am saying no to that this year. Let's instead spend the time Matt would have used to put up the lights to go down to our friends mission and help put Christmas boxes together for those who don't have anything for Christmas. Better way to spend our time for sure.
Our plan in how to use this extra time is to flip it for being God's hands and feet during this season. We want to serve with our friends with the boxes and possibly through our church if we find a way to do so. We want to help our neighbors with their tasks if needed. We want to be home spending quiet time together. We want to have our home filled with love, laughter and peace. We would love to invite our neighbors over for a soup/bread meal or maybe a cookie/cocoa night but that will depend on if I can do that without making it all about the food and decor having to be "perfect". We also want to spend time with grandparents more. We have lost both of our grandmas recently and we both cherish those times so much. We want our girls to have that time with each set of our parents. We know those moments change you in wonderful ways. So, pray for the Miller's to continue to peel away the stuff of Christmas that make it all about show and glow. We want to shine for Jesus only and take time to sit and meditate on God's Word.
So I have been contemplating what to give up and some how God has made it so that certain circumstances make it easier to do so. We are not going to be writing a letter and sending cards to everyone we have ever known this year. I am going to send a photo card to those who I know pray for our family so that they can continue to do so.....I use the Christmas photo cards as prayer cards throughout the year. A different family each week is prayed over and it helps me to use the pictures.
Second thing to go, excess spending just to spend. We usually only buy three gifts for our girls for Christmas. We figure if it was good enough for Jesus...why change it! That will remain the same, but I am not going to be able to buy all of my nieces and nephews, sisters and brothers gifts this year. I just can't do it. And truly, I am so much more all about the memories we make together anyway, so I will figure out something to "give" them instead. My first thought, take all 10 kids to the lake house for a cousin sleepover which would allow all parents to go on a date night. We'll see. Still praying over this one as it really causes me to be sad that I can't buy them something. God is still working on this one yet I know they don't put getting or not getting a present from me as how much I love them. It's my issue.
Third thing to go, parties. We are invited to lots of parties and people kind of expect you to come. So I am going to bow out of them as they usually involve extra baking, buying and stress. We don't need that right now. We need peace as we get ourselves prepared to celebrate Jesus' birth. So we will do the girls' Christmas programs at church and I am hosting my co-op mom's meeting next Monday night while the family goes to Bible Study Fellowship, but after that we are done. No more. So don't be offended if you ask us to a party and we say no. We need time to be a family, playing games together, watching old movies, reading great stories, worshiping our Lord. We need time to be still before God and really allow Him to meet us in these moments before Christmas. How can we find that time if we do not be still? In order to do that, we must say no to some stuff. I guarantee you that doing that will ruffle some feathers. I just hope the people who get ruffled are able to one day understand and that God will give us the right words to say to calm those feathers if needed.
Lastly, we are not putting out lights this year. I am making that decision for my husband. He hates it. He really does. He does it for us. His girls always tell him that we are the only house that doesn't have them out. So what?! We also are the only house on our street that doesn't have Santa come and that homeschools, so why start being like everyone else in this area?! We are different by choice most of the time and truly why should we make him be more stressed at this time of year just to be like the neighbors?! So I am saying no to that this year. Let's instead spend the time Matt would have used to put up the lights to go down to our friends mission and help put Christmas boxes together for those who don't have anything for Christmas. Better way to spend our time for sure.
Our plan in how to use this extra time is to flip it for being God's hands and feet during this season. We want to serve with our friends with the boxes and possibly through our church if we find a way to do so. We want to help our neighbors with their tasks if needed. We want to be home spending quiet time together. We want to have our home filled with love, laughter and peace. We would love to invite our neighbors over for a soup/bread meal or maybe a cookie/cocoa night but that will depend on if I can do that without making it all about the food and decor having to be "perfect". We also want to spend time with grandparents more. We have lost both of our grandmas recently and we both cherish those times so much. We want our girls to have that time with each set of our parents. We know those moments change you in wonderful ways. So, pray for the Miller's to continue to peel away the stuff of Christmas that make it all about show and glow. We want to shine for Jesus only and take time to sit and meditate on God's Word.
Menu Plan Monday
Well, it is that time of year where we all have a few more holiday parties to attend or cookies bake which can lead to busy schedules all around. We have a ballet dancer in our family who is dancing in a Christmas show at a church this next weekend. That means she has practice every night this week. Ugh! Poor thing is wiped out already so I am showing her some grace with school work this week. She will be doing co-op work and history but no math and spelling to shave off some of her workload and allow for a rest time in the afternoon.
We still don't have a tree and with our schedule this week, I am not sure when we will get it! I am hoping we can pick it up Wednesday night and plan on decorating a bit through the week and finishing up on Sunday as a family. We'll see.
So while trying to keep Christmas all about Christ and yet adding parties and practices to our schedule, I am deciding to keep it simple with food. So here is what the Miller's will be eating this week:
Monday: (BSF night) Girls and Matt eat on the road.
Tuesday: (dance practice/class) sandwiches on the road, apples, pretzels
Wednesday: (dance practice) veggie soup, bread
Thursday: (dance practice/meet friend for dinner) pizza, salad
Friday: (dance performance) taco salad
Saturday: (dance performance/ co-op Christmas party) Girls eat with cousins!
Sunday: (NOTHING!) Pot Roast, carrots, potato and fresh bread....yummo!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Missing a Buddy
Last night, I was given a sweet little letter by Bean at bedtime. I opened it preparing to have some stalling tactic as she does not like having to go to bed lately. She has struggled with staying asleep through the night and even getting to sleep. We keep talking to her but until last night, we did not know what the problem was and truly at this point were getting a bit frustrated at being awakened in the middle of the night by a 9 year old. You kind of expect it when they are 9 months but not 9 years.
The note said (written in crayon which added sweetness in my book):
Dear Mommy,
I am missing Gaga Rachel. Can you help me
get through this please?
Love,
Bean
Then there was a second page with a large picture she drew of Gaga Rachel and a note:
Gaga Rachel, I love you!
Gaga Rachel
Ok, I don't know about you, but my heart sank. I feel so badly that I did not put two and two together before this note. Bean is getting ready to sing in a church kid's musical. She has so much fun doing that however the last time she did, we got a call from Grandma while eating ice cream. That call was that Gaga Rachel heart had stopped and the EMT's were trying to revive her. We left the girls with my parents and Matt and I darted to the assisted living facility where she lived but it was too late. Graciously, my parents brought the girls over as we wanted them to have a chance to say good byes there if they wanted to. Doodle did not, but Bean did. She went in with me to see her buddy and she stayed close by the rest of the time really. Then at age 8, that little girl wrote a little something and read it in front of the crowd at the funeral. We were so proud but also so shocked as she is our shy child. She is the one we have to practice what to say if we see people we know when we go places so she will not just hide behind my back.
Gaga Rachel with her "Little Brown Bear"
Why would this little girl do that? Because Gaga Rachel and Bean had always had such a sweet bond that doesn't really go with explanation. It just was what it was. That does not mean Gaga Rachel was not precious to all of us and that Doodle is not missing her as well, because that would not be true. I just think that with this musical, all of that stuff has surfaced and she does not know how to process it. On top of that, I think she truly realizes that she is not coming back. This is Bean's first time to deal with death at an age she can truly understand. It never gets easier to say good bye no matter how old you are but we keep pointing her to where Gaga Rachel is now. We also have encouraged her to remember all the fun times or silly things she did with GagaRachel so she will smile through the tears. Focus on the good stuff and let the rest take its course. So, it is with tears running down my cheek that I write this post today and must say to you, Gaga Rachel, thank you for loving my girls so well that they miss you so much. The memories they have spent with you will last a lifetime. We love you and miss you, sweet Gaga Rachel.
Doodle with Gaga Rachel at the lake house. Sweet memories.
The note said (written in crayon which added sweetness in my book):
Dear Mommy,
I am missing Gaga Rachel. Can you help me
get through this please?
Love,
Bean
Then there was a second page with a large picture she drew of Gaga Rachel and a note:
Gaga Rachel, I love you!
Gaga Rachel
Gaga Rachel with her "Little Brown Bear"
Doodle with Gaga Rachel at the lake house. Sweet memories.Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Testing Faith
I find it amazing that just when you think everything is going well, you are tithing above and beyond the 10% you are instructed to give to God and have extra in the bank....all of a sudden life hits full force and you are scraping nickels together for a loaf of bread! Gracious! I was getting discouraged with recent financial issues when I realized that God wants to know that we will trust him in all things, in all ways and all circumstances. So, once again, we enter this busy season not prepared as I so much prefer. I will trust God to bring the finances to take care of what is needed and the extras will just have to be icing on the cake if and when God chooses to bring that money in as well. So while I remain faithful with giving, helping others and such...I also have to prove faithful in how the money God gives us is spent and what we do to honor Him with that money. It is sooooo easy to be all protective and hoard it when there is a time of less in your life. But God wants us to be extravagent in our giving. So, with a bit of fear but much faith I write this and know that by the end of this season, we will have an amazing story to share about how God has blessed this family once again. He never ceases to amaze me. He may not be early but He always comes through and in ways I just can't imagine! So, God, I give these concerns to you today knowing you will be faithful to figure it all out and that in doing so, I can not take it back....
washing machine (fix it or $$ to fix)
cars acting up (fix them or $$ to fix)
debt to pay off
garage door
new shoes for the girls
desire to have Christmas dresses for girls
money to go to the doctor (all 4 of us need to get a check up)
braces
dance
gas money
desire to help out the needy this season with $$ or presents
$$ for books for school
Lord, this is just the stuff that goes through my head on a daily basis as I make decisions. I know that all of this junk going through my mind is not allowing me to serve you or worship you in a way that brings you honor. I may never fully understand what it means to have abundant wealth and truly I do not want to as I find it puts my trust in money and not in God's provision. So while I struggle with feeling overwhelmed with worry at times, I still love having a God that will provide my every need. Now, if I can just get over feeling guilty when friends do nice things for us for the holidays when we can not repay that favor. Thank you God that you never look at the outward gifts but the inward. May our gifts be a sweet aroma to you.
In Jesus' most precious name, Amen! :)
washing machine (fix it or $$ to fix)
cars acting up (fix them or $$ to fix)
debt to pay off
garage door
new shoes for the girls
desire to have Christmas dresses for girls
money to go to the doctor (all 4 of us need to get a check up)
braces
dance
gas money
desire to help out the needy this season with $$ or presents
$$ for books for school
Lord, this is just the stuff that goes through my head on a daily basis as I make decisions. I know that all of this junk going through my mind is not allowing me to serve you or worship you in a way that brings you honor. I may never fully understand what it means to have abundant wealth and truly I do not want to as I find it puts my trust in money and not in God's provision. So while I struggle with feeling overwhelmed with worry at times, I still love having a God that will provide my every need. Now, if I can just get over feeling guilty when friends do nice things for us for the holidays when we can not repay that favor. Thank you God that you never look at the outward gifts but the inward. May our gifts be a sweet aroma to you.
In Jesus' most precious name, Amen! :)
Facebooking Your Faith
Well, lately I have had a few people in my life come down really hard on people who use facebook to contact old friends. I was starting to feel a bit guilty. I agreed that it is less personal than a call or note but with the season I am currently in with life, I don't have the luxury of sitting and writing notes to all the people that cross my mind or picking up the phone to talk to them for longer than 10 minutes. I really don't use the phone much to talk to my best friends so how can add this group to my list?!
Anyway, I was just about to jump the facebook ship and give it up when I have recently had the best experiences and conversations with two of my friends from high school. One of them was my best friend through high school. We were really together or talking all the time. We did not always make the wisest choices then but we so enjoyed being together. This recent death of a classmate has brought the two of us back into communication as it was a reminder of how fragile life truly is and we need to take the time to be involved. But something else has happened....I was able to chat with her for about an hour off and on while doing laundry and lesson planning. Our chat started off about this mutual friend, drifted to good memories and ended on the best thing yet...my faith in Christ. She is at a point of wanting to know more about scripture. She is reading through the Bible but has lots of questions. We talked through some things and I was able to invite her to my church or a Bible study. She jumped a the chance!
The other friend was a buddy I so enjoyed while we danced together on the PomPom Squad. We had not spoken since high school and she is a joy. We are both believers and she was struggling in sharing the Word with a cousin who was commenting on her page about gay marriage. I just read the post and thought led to write something. That little comment allowed the two of us to write back forth about sharing Jesus and being godly wives in situations. It was such a blessing.
So, after praying about these two events on my facebook, I have decided to stay put. I do think right now my ministry is at home with my girls and the other children God places in my life. But what an awesome opportunity to also be able to spread the love of Jesus Christ through something so relevant in today's society such as facebook. So I am going to reach out in Christ to these friends of mine from years gone by and pray that God will continue to bring opportunities to my door...or I guess my wall! What a blessing!
Anyway, I was just about to jump the facebook ship and give it up when I have recently had the best experiences and conversations with two of my friends from high school. One of them was my best friend through high school. We were really together or talking all the time. We did not always make the wisest choices then but we so enjoyed being together. This recent death of a classmate has brought the two of us back into communication as it was a reminder of how fragile life truly is and we need to take the time to be involved. But something else has happened....I was able to chat with her for about an hour off and on while doing laundry and lesson planning. Our chat started off about this mutual friend, drifted to good memories and ended on the best thing yet...my faith in Christ. She is at a point of wanting to know more about scripture. She is reading through the Bible but has lots of questions. We talked through some things and I was able to invite her to my church or a Bible study. She jumped a the chance!
The other friend was a buddy I so enjoyed while we danced together on the PomPom Squad. We had not spoken since high school and she is a joy. We are both believers and she was struggling in sharing the Word with a cousin who was commenting on her page about gay marriage. I just read the post and thought led to write something. That little comment allowed the two of us to write back forth about sharing Jesus and being godly wives in situations. It was such a blessing.
So, after praying about these two events on my facebook, I have decided to stay put. I do think right now my ministry is at home with my girls and the other children God places in my life. But what an awesome opportunity to also be able to spread the love of Jesus Christ through something so relevant in today's society such as facebook. So I am going to reach out in Christ to these friends of mine from years gone by and pray that God will continue to bring opportunities to my door...or I guess my wall! What a blessing!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
The next two weeks will be a bit busier than normal. Who am I trying to fool here? It is going to be nuts! But at the end, we will be finished with all Christmas type programs the girls are in and we should be able to really have the week or so before Christmas arrives to really concentrate on what it is all about. I hate that hectic feeling during the holidays and refuse to take the focus off of Jesus to just be busy doing all the little things we think are so important to make it what we think it should be. I think it is great to have traditions but if that tradition begins to be the focus and not Jesus Christ, than even good, fun traditions must go. Ok, I'm stepping off the soapbox. haha! Not sure where that came from but I am thinking it might have been one of those things I needed to write so I would remember what we are doing this month. :)
So, coming off a lovely relaxing weekend with family and my dear friend, Lainie, at the lake house...I am ready to take on this week! Here is what we will be enjoying this week:
Monday: (BSF) sandwiches, chips, veggies (quick and easy and get on the road!)
Tuesday: (dance) Wraps for the road, apples, chips (so jealous....aren't ya?!)
Wednesday: (choir practice for Bean) Biscuits and Gravy, fruit salad
Thursday: (girls at grandparents, Date night to Cincy) Dinner at Cincinnati Christian Univ.
Friday: Crockpot lasagna, bread, salad
Saturday: (Bean's play at church) Stovetop chicken and rice casserole, broccoli, oranges
Sunday: (girls go to Yuletide Celebration with my parents) Veggie soup, fresh bread, cottage cheese
See more menus at www.orgjunkie.com
