Precious Heart Indeed!

Doodle in her white costume

Doodle has been a part of a dance ministry group for three years now. They are a group of committed girls who meet every Saturday morning (usually) through the school year to prepare dances to perform at churches, nursing homes and such. Their leader, Miss Pearl, has a heart like few others. She has taught these girls how to use what God has given them to glorify God. This year, as with the past two years, the group was a part of a local church's Christmas program. This was the first year, the Precious Hearts dancers wore the white outfits which was amazing to see my girl light up the first time she tried it on. She has watched the older dancers who wear these outfits for years and to finally see that happen for her was precious!

I totally enjoyed watching Doodle get ready for her big show each day. Granted the driving back and forth at times was a bit much, but to see your child excelling in something they adore, well that is just a gift!

Doodle in blue costume...second from left

Most of all, I am grateful for Miss Pearl's heart in taking on this ministry for years now. I adore her passion and tender care of our girls' hearts.

Doodle and Miss Pearl

I pray that Doodle always remember for whom she dances and never stops praising her God in such a beautiful way. As she dances, she truly blesses those around. She has a reverence that can not be taught. It is truly a gift and I am forever grateful.

Precious Hearts Dancers~ Doodle in backrow far left.

Run the Good Race

The Miller Girls

Our homeschool co-op has been blessed with a mom who is a natural coach. She loves to encourage the kids to run and be active The past two years, she has had our co-op hold a cross country meet. This year, they even had two meets. One with just our group and then another where we hosted other co-ops. It was a great experience for the girls.

On your marks...get set...GO!!!

I am not a runner at all. While their daddy is, which makes it nice for training. The three of them will head over to the track or just out on a run close to where we live. I love that they can do that together.

Bean running on the trail

Just like in most areas of their lives, our girlies are totally different in their running styles. While Bean is my sprinter. (Go fast or go home!) Doodle is more of the long distance runner. (Slow and steady.) Neither is better, it is just the way God made them. I find it amazing that the way they run is similar to the way they handle most things in life. Bean is quick to make decisions and get something done. While Doodle is much more determined in her steps. It takes her a long time to decide on something and she really likes to take her time and "do it right".

Doodle running along....SMILING!!! Wow!

The other thing that blessed my heart, as I watched the girls, was to witness a sweet friend of Bean's step up and help when she was feeling as if she would like to quit. This friend had not planned on running this race. She didn't have on tennis shoes, or cool running shorts! :) Nope, she was just watching and saw her friend struggling. So, she did what came naturally....she started running with her friend. She ran the rest of the race with Bean until the very end where she walked and let Bean run through the finish line alone. That moment really choked me up. I kept thinking, isn't that what Christ does for us! He is there for us the entire race but in the end, we must cross that finished line on our own and stand before the judge alone. Wow! What a beautiful example of the Christian walk. What a great race!

Bean and her buddy running the race....BEAUTIFUL!

Top 10

Happy Thanksgiving! I know I am a silly girl, but I think we should take time out to be thankful daily and not just one day a year. Regardless, at least we all take time to really think about just what blessings we have this time of year. So, today I am thrilled to be able to count my top 10 blessings in my life at this time.

I am thankful for~

10. Chocolate and chai tea....simple and yummy!

9. A home that is filled with laughter and love more than heartache and hurts. Not saying we never hurt each others feelings, but I am so thankful our family has more times of laughter than of tears.

8. Friends who love me and support me in all my endeavors. Not only supporting me, but pouring their lives into my girls hearts! I love that my girls have supports from all around them in all areas they are involved. Those women in my life at co-op, girls' dance classes, church, small group, scrapbooking buddies, lifetime friends...I adore your hearts!

7. Generous in-laws who have shown me that stuff is just stuff

6. Sunrises and sunsets that remind me of what a Mighty God I serve

5. Sister and brother who still giggle with me over our childhood jokes and also that we support each other in our endeavors regardless of how different we all are. No judgement, just love. :)

4. Parents who showed me the way to Christ and loved me enough to teach me that the best gift they could ever give me was to love each other well. I am grateful my parents did not try to be my friend when I was younger but were my parents who loved me enough to discipline me and teach me to do things the "right" way. :)

3. Being blessed to be called Mommy~ a word I never thought I would hear. I am thankful to have two beautiful girls who bless me with laughter, joy and love daily. These girls have a love and knowledge of God that I am in awe of daily.

2. Being married to a man who I adore and adores me. Having a marriage that is never taken for granted and where we see God's hand throughout. I am grateful Matt understands this woman's heart.

1. Having a God who loved me enough that He laid down His life for mine. While I was still a sinner, He died for me. He did if for you too.

Just For Fun!!!

Are you up to the challenge?

Recently, my husband has been on a kick to make some life defining changes around here. I love to see his passion at work and his vision going like crazy. However, there are moments I just want to put on the brakes and scream STOP!!!! I love being comfortable and I realize that is what makes us work. While our personalities are usually so much the same...we differ when we decide it is time to make some changes. It cracks me up that usually I am the one who wants to make changes and he is the one who puts on the brakes. Not this time.

This change, which I can not share the details of quite yet, will mean a job change for part of the year as well as extra hours from the family. It will mean that we have to stop wasting time and make a schedule that we all can adhere to which is not something we are blessed at doing to be honest. This change has all of my feelings of protection and that momma bear wanting to keep her young close to her up and ready to pounce.

Yet, with all that being said, I see in my man a glimmer in his eye. I see a spark of excitement which I want to honor. So as the wife, I want to move forward and see what God can do using my man in this life change. As the mom, I want to grab him and smack him! LOL! Not really! I just want to make sure that what the girls have now, an active Daddy, will always be true regardless of life changes. So, for those of you who know us personally, please pray for us over the next few months. When I feel I can share more details, I will. Until then, we just need prayers to make sure we are doing what God wants for our family and not what we desire. I also want to be open to the walk God has for me and not put brakes on something that would be His will. I have full faith that God is good and more than able to make all this come out for good. I just want to make sure it is His will first! Oh, now look what I've done...I've gotten all worked up about this issue again! Better go pray through it again!

Just Words

Do you ever have those days, weeks, months or even maybe years where you feel you are just in a funk and not be effective for God no matter what you do?! I know that is a lie straight from the pits of hell and I also know that choosing to stay at that place keeps us from growing closer to God or doing what He has called us to do. Sometimes I am able to snap out of that mode very quickly with a great Quiet Time, song, prayer time....whatever helps me focus on God and off myself.

However, this week, God used a student at our co-op to reach out to me and grab hold of my heart. This has been a very stressful and emotional week as the Teaching Day Coordinator at our co-op. We have had a lot of decisions to make about some touchy issues. I will not go into the details but trust me to know that I am not good at confrontation and God is stretching me. So when I got on my Facebook account this afternoon I had the following post on my wall:

Hey Mrs. Miller!! :) i just wanted to tell you how i much i love you and how much your familia means to me! ♥ thanks for bein' such a model of Christ and always liftin' me up towards Him and encouraging me. i love bein' around yall...i just want you to know im prayin' for you. and that i love you so very very very very much ♥

Those words were just what I needed to hear today. This week has left me feeling weary to do what God has called me to do yet I know that when God calls us to do a work, no matter what that work may be, He also equips us. So today, God used a sweet 16 year old girl from our co-op to reach out and touch my heart, restore my faith in what I am doing and encourage me to not give up the good fight. So, if you are reading this post, sweet girl...thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping my focus right were it needs to be...on God and off me. :)

School Pictures

One of the ladies at our co-op is a gifted photographer. She has taken the girls pictures over the years for yearbook or back to school shots. I love them! This year is no different. I am hoping to get some more done of the girls before it gets too cold. Just thought I would share what we have so far. Love them!

Doodle and Bean with the individual shots

The many shots of the Miller Girls! So hard to decide which one will end up on my wall!

ok, I will admit it...I think I like this last one the best. ;)