Date Night!

Did I mention I have a date tonight with my man? Well, if I didn't, I have a date tonight with my sweetie! Woohoo! I can not tell you the last time Matt and I went out on a date by ourselves. Now I do know the last time we went out with other couples, which is always fun, but seriously can't recall the last date night we had alone. So that pretty much tells me that it is way overdue.

We are headed out to Maggiano's for dinner and then who knows. Depends on how long dinner takes. Our girls are going to stay with some friends. We have started to swap kids for date nights. Not sure why it took us so long to figure this out but it is a need.

When you are married with kids, it is so easy to start to put the kids and daily life stuff first. I do have to say that is just not good. The kids and stuff will be gone one day and we have to take care of our marriage first. My parents did a great job of letting us know the best gift they could give us was to take time out for their marriage. I know that, I was raised to respect that and yet I still struggle to make it happen. Now, I will add that we are not in a state of crisis in our marriage so it gets easy to put on the back burner, but still, it is good to enjoy the good times together as well as pull together when stuff is happening.

So tonight gets to be a fun night for just us. We will probably go over the 7 questions we use to spark conversation about other things besides kids and also to go a little deeper with our talks than what we did last week. It has always helped us to stay focused on our marriage growing closer and closer to what God desired it to be. I am just thankful that I have a husband who likes to go out with me and enjoys talking with me about our life together. I am also thankful that my husband does not just take one day a year to say how much he loves me or to do something special. He spoils me throughout the year and it is not just with stuff. It is with the stuff that counts: love, time, attention, kindness, service, trustworthiness, sense of humor, joy, and more! We just enjoy laughing and spending time together and I am so excited to do just that. Can you tell? Oh, by the way, did you know I have a date with my honey tonight? Better go get ready!

I found it!

After this morning's verses that God gave me, I was trying to find this hymn that I remembered singing when I attended BSF.(Bible Study Fellowship) It went so well with the scripture from 2 Timothy 1:12b: "I know whom I have believed and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." As I stated earlier, God seems to be speaking to me through songs right now and it really doesn't matter to me if it is classical music, old hymns, or current praise songs. They all point me to my precious Jesus. So, here it is:

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

Refrain

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

Refrain

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Refrain

God Still Speaking Loudly!

I don't know about you, but God talks to me through many avenues. Sometimes, it is through my kids, husband or other family member and friends. Then there are times He speaks to me through the quiet of nature. Amazing! Recently, He has started screaming to me through songs I have listened to for years but maybe have not taken the time to really hear what He is telling me. This is one of those songs. I hear you, Lord!

Casting Crowns - Who am i ( LYRICS ) --- Algen Llano

God's 2X4

Lately I have become more aware of how far away from God I had allowed myself to become. I know that I have always loved Him and had faith He would do what He promised. That has never wavered, however, my time with Him has, my reading His word has and my serving Him at church and being a part of the body certainly have both suffered. Most of all, my devotion to seeking Him daily has taken the biggest punch in the gut. Well, in trying to redirect this issue, as I know there is no hope on the road I have started down, I am amazed at how God has spoken to me. Here I am the one who has walked down the thorny pathway I have chosen and He is the one pursuing me! Isn't that just God!

This morning, I sat down to have some quiet time before I started the day with the girls. Here are the scriptures He led me to:

Joel 1:3 ~ Tell it to your children and let your children
tell it to their children and let their children to the next generation.

Joel 2:12-13~ Even now, declares the Lord, return to me
with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and
mourning. Rend your hearts and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious
and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in
love and He relents from sending calamity.

Aren't those amazing!! As if those would not have been enough. I pick up my devotional and read the title for this morning "Reigniting the Fire"!!! Can you believe that!?! Only God could orchestrate that to get my attention in such a mighty way. He then gave me these two verses in 2Timothy through that devotional:

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:12b I know whom I have believed, and am
convinced that he is able to guard what I have
entrusted to him for that day.

Again, only God. Not only did He speak to me in a mighty way, but I know what I am to do. I am to rend my heart and return to my God with fasting, weeping and mourning. I am to stand strong with that spirit of power . I am to use the spirit of love with those I come into contact with on a daily basis. I am to use the spirit of self-discipline to get back to where I left the right path.
I am to be confident in whom I serve and know He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for today. Then, I am to tell my children!!!

How can I tell you what this gift has given me? I think I have been emotionally dead for a time and didn't realize it until my oldest daughter was struggling. Thanks to the 2 x 4 God uses with me from time to time, I see that I am not who she has always known me to be. I not only became emotionally dead, but spiritually stagnant. There is nothing worse than luke warm to God. Yet, here, he was able to be slow to anger with me and full of compassion as He showed me where I need to be and what I need to do. I am a sinner, saved by grace by a God who meets me where I am and continually shows me grace I do not deserve. What a mighty God I serve!

Precious God, I pray I never wander so far that you
decide to not seek me. Lord, thank you for not only taking
me back but for showing me the way back to your loving
arms. Light the fire in me Lord, that only you can do.
I am yours. I am willing to serve and to do what you desire.
Show me and guide me as we take this journey together.
Thank you for never leaving me even when I chose to ignore
your tugging at my heart to spend time with you again. Prick
my heart if I ever start to wander off the path that leads me
straight to your arms, Lord. For there is where I am safe,
there is where I am filled with joy and confidence in what you
ask me to do, there is where I am strong. Today is a day of
rejoicing! You are good, Lord. Your love is everlasting
and it is powerful. You are my rock. You are my strong
tower, my refuge, me Abba. You are the great I AM,
mighty and powerful in all you do. You are the Alpha and
Omega, majestic and worthy of much praise. I praise you
today, Lord, as I sit here a woman awakened by your love
and discipline. You are my Holy and Mighty God whom
I will give much praise. In Jesus most precious name, Amen!

My Curly Top!

While Doodle was at Matt's office this morning finishing her school work, an arrangement we all have found just divine, Bean and I enjoyed our leisure Tuesday morning together. Last night, she asked me to roll her hair in the sponge rollers to see what would happen. We have not used them in a long time. (I think recently we have been talking about her hair being so curly as a little girl that she really wanted it back.)

So, we did roll it and then took it out this morning. Boy did that girl have curl!! It was so sweet. As I stood there combing my fingers through her loose curls, I suddenly was taken aback. This is my baby. When we first laid eyes on this precious girl, the first thing I noticed was all that precious black hair. It was so curly and she had so much of it that it looked like a little black helmet! Just too sweet. Today, that little helmet has grown and she has the gift of growing her hair very long then donating it to Locks of Love. We are in transition again.More important than the little helmet of hair growing, I realize that my girl is getting to be quite the little lady. She is aware of what is "pretty" and what makes her feel that way. I am constantly working to remind her that we need to realize our beauty does not come from outside. No amount of pretty make up, name brand clothes, stylish hair can cover up an ugly heart. God wants us to shine from the inside out. When we serve Him with all of our heart and we love others with our all, we so shine for Jesus. This little girl shines for Jesus very quietly. Very few people get the gift of witnessing this gift. When she feels safe with someone, she just serves them until she knows they are content. This is seen when we have friends over with small children. No one asks her to watch them, but she does. No one asks her at co-op to follow the toddlers around to make sure they stay safe, but she does. No one asks her to bring Daddy a blanket when he is sleeping but she does. So, while we are still working on speaking to others when spoken to, I think I am so blessed to see the heart behind the little curls. And while I really don't care if her hair is straight, curly, polka dots, I have to admit that it was such a sweet gift to her mama today to see her sweet little face in curls again. It just took me back to sweet memories of my little curly haired girl. Thanks Sparky!

Spring Fever!

It is official. We all have spring fever. God has blessed us with wonderful weather to get outside and "blow the stink off" as my grandma would have said. I'm really not sure what that means, but I think it has more to do with our attitudes than our actual "stink". Regardless, I am so happy to see my girls outside playing together and not fighting over who was the last one to get to play first on the computer or picking the songs to dance. What was even better, when I went outside I noticed that they were wearing each others softball helmets. Now to some people this may not be a big deal, but to my girls, well, lets just say that they struggle in sharing still. It is always something we are working on and it is such a blessing when they do it without being told. They have enjoyed getting out the skates, basketball, and softball gear again. Now they are headed back out to play in the fort. They have decided to make homes for their dolls. I think what I love about being home most is these small moments. I adore that they shift gears so quickly. I think it is just great that they enjoy such a variety of activities. Now I think I better go help them with their "doll roller coaster". (aka, dolls in box down slide)

New Blog~ same ol' stuff

While it has been some time since I have sat down to update people on what is happening in our home, I think the odd thing is not much has changed! We are still homeschooling both girls. We are still in the same co-op, which is a huge blessing to all three of us. We are still active in church activities and Bible Study Fellowship. We still have girls who enjoy ballet and swimming. We still have the same struggles with domestic duties we always have. We are still blessed with so many close friends who remain constant in our life. We cherish those relationships. Matt and I are still odd in how we prefer to hang out together rather than with other people. No one makes me laugh like him and no one makes me feel as secure in my faith. God knew what I needed in my life when He brought me my man.

With those constants in our life, we also have some new adventures. We have a new church home. We are now members at Indian Creek Christian Church, called the Creek. The pastor's preaching is just amazing. He is gifted in making you really dig into scripture and see what it says. I appreciate that he preaches from God's Word alone. No other book is needed. Praise God he speaks from scripture and not from "feeling". With a new church home comes new friends. We are enjoying seeing who God places in our life. With each new family, we find such a blessing in our little world.

Secondly, Doodle has joined the Precious Hearts Dance Ministry team this year. She tried out this past summer and was asked to join. That is a commitment on her part but also on the part of her family. We take her for practice every Saturday at 8am. Did you hear me...8:00AM!!! So Bean and I are finding new ways to entertain ourselves while she is practicing.

Thirdly, the girls are both involved in Bible Bowl at the Creek. This has them learning portions of scripture to then use in a quizzing format. Kind of like Brain Game for Bible. (if that makes sense) Anyway, both girls really enjoy it and we have found out that Doodle thrives on the pressure of the game. She really does well. Bean really enjoys hanging out with her friends and has found that "winning" is not all that matters to her, which is awesome! I think it is a gift.

Lastly, this year of changes in churches has brought back the fire I missed in my life...that passion for Christ. I had forgotten how much I thrive on being able to dig into the Word of God and see it work in my life. I can not tell you what being spiritually dead did to me. I had become so stagnant and to be alive again is amazing. Not sure when that happened, but I do know that I feel again and I am awake to see what God is doing around me. I hear his small whisper in my life and I feel the thunder when I choose to go another way. God is my constant. He is the rock I cling to when my life gets crazy, which it inevitably does. I think the best thing I can say about the past year is that I am alive in Christ!!!