Friday, December 18, 2009
He's A Busy God!
If I didn't know better, I would think that God is trying to show me something. :) Actually, I know He is showing me that He is more than able to meet all my needs and some of my desires too. I have told you two of the ways that is happening in our home with the washer and garage door. But He also gave me a simple gift that blesses my family. Every year for Christmas, I make these calendars for our parents. They are sweet pictures of the grandkids which they so love. I was afraid I could not do them this year because they are a bit pricy now. Well, leave it to God to bring me an email from Snapfish for...get this....BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE!!!! Isn't God just too fun! I told you that we would all stand in awe of how He chose to make all my needs and desires come to fruitition this season. So that gets me thinking...do you have anything you need to lay before God and watch Him move? He so will do just that and in a mighty way!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
God's Gifts
Well, if you recall, I wrote about my concern over financial issues we were facing lately and the fact that the list of things we needed to check on or get fixed felt like it was just growing. I made the list, prayed over it and let it go. I think now is the time to update on the amazing gifts God has given us since that post which you can read if you click here.
First, it was the washing machine which I wrote about last week and you can read about here.
Now, it is the garage door. My home is a lovely brick ranch. Nothing showy. That is not who we are. We just want what we need in a home. Anyway, while I like my house, the one thing that seems to have been an issue with my pride has been this crazy garage door. We moved into this house almost 10 years ago and it needed a new door then. We have not replaced it yet and we have certainly watched it deteriorate. It is nasty. I get so embarrassed when people drive up to our house and that is the first thing they see! Crazy! I think God had to show me to put that aside and know that is not what matters in His eyes. So, regardless that it has taken me 10 years to finally just let it go...today, God met that need in our life. Or the want in mine. :)
The patient of Matt's that fixed our back door this summer has been out to measure the door a couple times and we hoped he would order it for us. Matt trades services with him. He builds beautiful homes. Anyway, today at lunch, the doorbell rings. I answer it and it is this gentleman wanting to measure the door and know what color we wanted. We get the door..get this....TOMORROW!!! Only God can make that happen, friends! I stand in awe of a mighty God who meets all of our needs as well as some of our desires when we choose to fall at His feet in humility. I am so excited I can't process all of my feelings but I do know that this will be the most precious Christmas we have had in some time....can't wait to see what else God crosses off that list! What a mighty God!
First, it was the washing machine which I wrote about last week and you can read about here.
Now, it is the garage door. My home is a lovely brick ranch. Nothing showy. That is not who we are. We just want what we need in a home. Anyway, while I like my house, the one thing that seems to have been an issue with my pride has been this crazy garage door. We moved into this house almost 10 years ago and it needed a new door then. We have not replaced it yet and we have certainly watched it deteriorate. It is nasty. I get so embarrassed when people drive up to our house and that is the first thing they see! Crazy! I think God had to show me to put that aside and know that is not what matters in His eyes. So, regardless that it has taken me 10 years to finally just let it go...today, God met that need in our life. Or the want in mine. :)
The patient of Matt's that fixed our back door this summer has been out to measure the door a couple times and we hoped he would order it for us. Matt trades services with him. He builds beautiful homes. Anyway, today at lunch, the doorbell rings. I answer it and it is this gentleman wanting to measure the door and know what color we wanted. We get the door..get this....TOMORROW!!! Only God can make that happen, friends! I stand in awe of a mighty God who meets all of our needs as well as some of our desires when we choose to fall at His feet in humility. I am so excited I can't process all of my feelings but I do know that this will be the most precious Christmas we have had in some time....can't wait to see what else God crosses off that list! What a mighty God!
S-T-R-E-T-C-H!
Have you ever noticed how God gives your children gifts that cause you to be stretched out of your comfort zone? Or sometimes, you have to show by example to help them step out of their own comfort zone? I have had the lovely blessing of having a very perky daughter in the mornings. Most of the time, that is not my bent. However, I enjoy watching her and she is stretching me to try it sometime...just not today. :) Seriously though, Doodle has a gift of not really knowing a stranger in a group. I become terribly shy when I walk into new places. Typically she does not which helps me to stretch my comfort zone. I have to go with her after all. She also is a little dare devil with roller coasters and that certainly has forced me out of my comfort zone of the kiddie rides.
Then there is Bean. Man, that girl is going to be stretch me til I snap! haha! She knows no fear with rides either. But that is not why I write today. Bean loves helping her daddy with all sorts of projects. It doesn't matter if it involves a tool or loud noise or if you will get messy. She just likes to know how all this stuff works and be there with him. I must say, she is stretching me to learn more about these things as well. For example, two nights ago, my husband mentioned he was having a pain that we were not sure what it was. He feared it might have been a hernia but was not sure...could be a pulled muscle. He could have done that while crawling around the crawl space moving speaker wires to their new homes. Of course, Bean was with him on the venture.
But they were not able to complete the task at hand that night due to not enough wire. So, guess what? Bean and I crawled under the house to do it for him last night. She knew what had to be done from the night before. She did a great job. I was scared out of my mind but did not let her see that. I just thought if I saw a mouse or big spider I would create a new way into the crawl space with a mommy shape hole! But there were not critters as I feared. It was kind of like crawling around in playground pebbles but it was also a fun time with Bean leading me around. Doodle stayed up and grabbed the wires we pushed through to their new homes. She was a great helper as well. Her job is the one I usually take on with Matt...but this night...Bean stretched her mommy and I am feeling very proud that little girl. I am also so glad that God finds cute little ways to push me out of the comfort zones in various ways.
Then there is Bean. Man, that girl is going to be stretch me til I snap! haha! She knows no fear with rides either. But that is not why I write today. Bean loves helping her daddy with all sorts of projects. It doesn't matter if it involves a tool or loud noise or if you will get messy. She just likes to know how all this stuff works and be there with him. I must say, she is stretching me to learn more about these things as well. For example, two nights ago, my husband mentioned he was having a pain that we were not sure what it was. He feared it might have been a hernia but was not sure...could be a pulled muscle. He could have done that while crawling around the crawl space moving speaker wires to their new homes. Of course, Bean was with him on the venture.
But they were not able to complete the task at hand that night due to not enough wire. So, guess what? Bean and I crawled under the house to do it for him last night. She knew what had to be done from the night before. She did a great job. I was scared out of my mind but did not let her see that. I just thought if I saw a mouse or big spider I would create a new way into the crawl space with a mommy shape hole! But there were not critters as I feared. It was kind of like crawling around in playground pebbles but it was also a fun time with Bean leading me around. Doodle stayed up and grabbed the wires we pushed through to their new homes. She was a great helper as well. Her job is the one I usually take on with Matt...but this night...Bean stretched her mommy and I am feeling very proud that little girl. I am also so glad that God finds cute little ways to push me out of the comfort zones in various ways.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Monday's Menu!
Ahhhh! Can you hear the sigh of relief coming from our house? The rush is over. We have made it through the Christmas programs and now we get to just sit back and wait on Christmas to arrive. Well, maybe not sit back, but we get to bake the cookies we each enjoy. This year, I am only baking their favorites. No need to bake the others just for the sake of baking more cookies. We did manage to get a tree Sunday after church. It looks so nice and we just love decorating it together. The girls have had fun putting all the nativity scenes around. Have I ever mentioned that I have a nativity scene addiction as well as a book addiction? Well, if not, that is for another post!
This week we are really slowing down. We have our last co-op and BSF on Monday and dance ends Tuesday. The rest of the week, we are home. Did you hear that? Home!!! We will finish school on Friday and then have two weeks off. I am so excited to get the much needed house hold chores done and attack a couple of projects on my to do list during that time. Until then, here is what we will be eating this week:
Monday: (BSF night) Girls and Matt eat on the road.
Tuesday: (dance class) sandwiches on the road, apples, pretzels
Wednesday: ham, cheese broccoli ring, salad
Monday: (BSF night) Girls and Matt eat on the road.
Tuesday: (dance class) sandwiches on the road, apples, pretzels
Wednesday: ham, cheese broccoli ring, salad
Thursday: Teriyaki chicken, mashed potato, green beans
Friday: boiled supper, corn bread
Saturday: easy chicken pot pie, fruit salad
Sunday: pork roast, cheesy potato, salad, fresh bread
For more great menus, head on over to http://www.orgjunkie.com and check out all the yummy things being cooked up this week! :)
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Lights, Camera, Action!!!
The girls have both been involved in different Christmas programs this year. Last weekend, Bean was in the Sonshine Kids Choir's musical called Angel Alert. It was so cute. They did a lovely job. What I enjoyed was watching my quiet shy girl stand up to the microphone and say her line loud and proud. That moment was so exciting for me. She has always been our super shy girl, hiding behind my legs. To watch her come out over the past couple years to the point she is willing to stand up on stage in front of hundreds of people and speak, well that is just God's gift!
This weekend, Doodle has been involved with her praise dance ministry team in a Christmas program at a church. The first show was last night. It was beautifully done. I can not tell you what it does to me watching her dance for her Lord. She beams! It is not the same as when she is on stage for a play, but it is this look on her face that lets me know who she is dancing for...her Jesus. She is so reverent at that moment it brings me to tears.
Watching both the girls this week has allowed me to really hit my knees with a heart of gratitude to God. It is one thing to have a daughter who loves singing around the house or dancing like crazy. But to have two daughters who love singing praise songs daily and dancing for God, well that just melts my heart. There is nothing that touches my heart more than watching my children serve Him, seek Him and worship Him. Matt doesn't have to shop for me this year, the gift of watching each of them do their thing for God, well, that is the best gift I could open this year.
This weekend, Doodle has been involved with her praise dance ministry team in a Christmas program at a church. The first show was last night. It was beautifully done. I can not tell you what it does to me watching her dance for her Lord. She beams! It is not the same as when she is on stage for a play, but it is this look on her face that lets me know who she is dancing for...her Jesus. She is so reverent at that moment it brings me to tears.
Watching both the girls this week has allowed me to really hit my knees with a heart of gratitude to God. It is one thing to have a daughter who loves singing around the house or dancing like crazy. But to have two daughters who love singing praise songs daily and dancing for God, well that just melts my heart. There is nothing that touches my heart more than watching my children serve Him, seek Him and worship Him. Matt doesn't have to shop for me this year, the gift of watching each of them do their thing for God, well, that is the best gift I could open this year.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Best Christmas Gift
Each Christmas morning since we have been parents, we have started our morning the same way. We bake a cake for Jesus' birthday. Next we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 while the girls add Jesus to the Nativity. We then do my favorite part of our Christmas day...we sit around the tree and think about what we want to give Jesus this year and write them down on a small piece of paper. He gave His life for us, so surely we can think of some things we can do or give up for Him each year.
These have been so amazing to see what God places on our hearts and how some of them change and others are pretty constant. I then put the pieces of paper in a little decorated ornament box and the girls hang it on the tree. We pray together and then we open gifts. The girls get three packages, just like Jesus. This time is precious to me and I guess it is such a blessing to know that when we chose to not partake in the Santa world, we still have some fun traditions we do as a family on that morning. I think we feared it would be weird..which if I were totally honest, I would have to say it was a bit weird at first but not now. This is my favorite time of the day and it is also my girls.
All of this talk about slowing down to truly celebrate Jesus this Christmas has me thinking...what do I need to give to Jesus this year? I really want to honor what I give to him. Sometimes we give our time. Sometimes it is something we need to let go such as our anger, selfishness, etc. This year I want to make sure it is what He wants me to give up even if it is not on my radar right now. I want to give Jesus the best gift ever....all of me. I wonder what I will have to lay down in order to do that.
These have been so amazing to see what God places on our hearts and how some of them change and others are pretty constant. I then put the pieces of paper in a little decorated ornament box and the girls hang it on the tree. We pray together and then we open gifts. The girls get three packages, just like Jesus. This time is precious to me and I guess it is such a blessing to know that when we chose to not partake in the Santa world, we still have some fun traditions we do as a family on that morning. I think we feared it would be weird..which if I were totally honest, I would have to say it was a bit weird at first but not now. This is my favorite time of the day and it is also my girls.
All of this talk about slowing down to truly celebrate Jesus this Christmas has me thinking...what do I need to give to Jesus this year? I really want to honor what I give to him. Sometimes we give our time. Sometimes it is something we need to let go such as our anger, selfishness, etc. This year I want to make sure it is what He wants me to give up even if it is not on my radar right now. I want to give Jesus the best gift ever....all of me. I wonder what I will have to lay down in order to do that.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Time for a change!
I have had so much fun seeing all the changes in my blogger friends blogs lately. I was inspired. So I am working on decorating my blog for the holidays. For me, that is tough. I have to "try on" several to see what I like. So, know things might not look the same tonight or tomorrow, but eventually I will decide and it will be pretty. :) Until then...hang with me. :)
