Year in Review

The year in bullet points in no particular order:

• Val worked for a week at Chick-fil-A
• moved from Pittsburgh back to Texas
• went to 2 family weddings!
• Scott enjoyed working at a ranch in Wyoming
• Val returned to working at Arlington Resale!
• Larry started college classes online to finish his degree
• Larry changed his middle name to SECEDE!
• moved into one of our rent houses
• Val & Becky went to Barcelona, Spain!
• love our new home church
• Renee returns to Austin after a time in Colorado
• Sam finishes school and is searching for his calling in life
• Val had 2 surgeries about a month apart!  Thankfully all is well now!
• Sam broke his arm skiing 
• Renee is living in an EcoVillage
• Sam & Scott caught the biggest fish ever while visiting Renee & Kyle in Austin
• Val & Larry celebrated their 23rd Wedding anniversary
• Scott bought a Ford F350!

All in all it was a roller coaster year!  Lots of fun! The Lord is very good!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Changes

Does it seem like everything happens at once??  Seems like you are going along and everything's the same and then all of a sudden this happens and that happens and then another thing happens!  Well that's how it is right now for me!

Just a few of the things that are changing around here:

• Moved back to Texas
• Started working full time
• Will be the manager of a new store
• Moving to a new house
• family relationships being restored
• learning to be the mom of one kid left at home
• selling one of our rent houses
• learning to have a relationship with my adult children

So many things at once!  But I'm excited!  It's a lot of good stuff! I really feel like God is on the move these days.  I'm really feeling and sensing His presence and His direction.  He's doing some great big stuff and I love it!  So glad He lets me be a small part of it!

Isaiah 43:19

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁹ For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Facebook world

Facebook is an interesting phenomenon. I love getting online and checking out what everyone's up to and seeing everyone's pictures.  Most of the time I love being on fb.  But there's a flip side too.  A lot of people act differently on facebook than they would in real life.  They comment or say things on people's posts that they would never actually say to that person face to face.  I guess there's somewhat of an anonymity to typing something out on the computer verses actually speaking face to face with people.  Sometimes huge discussions break out and things are said and posts are made and ya gotta wonder...if this were a real life conversation between a group of people..would it be said this way?  And then if things get too rough and people's feelings get hurt (or their pride gets stepped on) they do the one thing they can control in a facebook world--unfriend you!  Delete!  Poof- you are magically gone from their daily news feed!  No longer do I have to worry about you commenting on my posts or saying something that might upset me.  You have been unfriended!  I no longer have to think about you!  Or reconcile, or figure out what you really meant, or understand your point, or apologize.  No that would be very inconvenient.

Don't you think we should be the same people in real life as we are on the computer?  Shouldn't we say and do things that wouldn't be any different than if you were sitting with me having coffee in the morning.  Would I be willing to say to your face what I've just typed?

I pray I am the same.  I want my character to be without question.  I want people to look at my facebook page and see the same Valerie that I am in real life.  I don't unfriend people.  I talk to people.  I have relationships.  I try to make a difficult situation better if possible.  If I have issue with you I will tell you.  If you have issue with me I expect the same.  Mutual respect.  Love one another.  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, and Self Control.  These are the things I strive for.

I will keep looking at facebook.  I like to keep in touch with people.  And if I see you in the mall or in Wal-mart- I will say hello and give you a hug and ask you to go for coffee with me.

Time....

When my kids were little I had no time to myself.  They are all 2 years apart and there were MANY years that were filled to the brim!  Just meeting their physical needs when they were little took up most of my time.  If I wasn't feeding or disciplining someone it was nap time or time for a diaper change.  I always had someone hanging on my legs or needing to be held.  I joked that our house only needed to be 5 square feet because that was where everyone was all the time!  I could barely go to the bathroom alone!  Then came homeschooling, again-no time to myself. Then as they got older there was a little time for an occasional girl's night out or date night.

Well things are completely different now.  With only one kid at home now- and he's practically grown (almost 16!) - I have so much time to myself!  I could have never imagine this!  Now if I want to go for a walk or watch tv or read a book or take a bath...I can!  and nobody interrupts me!

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging.  Because really it's bittersweet.  It's great..but I also miss my babies!  Even though it was a really tough time back then it was a lot of fun too!

It's also tough because I never had to think about who I was or how I spent my time before.  I was just raising babies and doing the best I could!  Now, I don't want to be idle or just waste my time.  I want to glorify God in the things I'm choosing to fill up my day!   All though just being lazy calls my name more days than not.

Moms of young kids---enjoy these days!  They are physically demanding.  The emotional days are yet to come.  But there will be a day you can rest!

Who knows what the future holds...but for now I'm just trying to enjoy my time and not be too lazy :)

The Road of Life

Ever been on a road trip across Kansas? It's about the boringest trip ever! You can see for literally miles and miles! The road is straight. There are no turns. You know when anything interesting is coming up because you can see it ahead for hours. You tend to nod off a lot because there's nothing to see! Just put the car on cruise and go.

Then there's other roads we travel on. Like in the mountains in Colorado. The road seems to wind and wind. It goes up and down, around and round. You have to continually look at the road because you are never quite sure what is up ahead. Or what will jump out in the road! The passengers seem to be hanging on for dear life with seat belts securely buckled.

Life can be like these roads at times. Sometimes we wake up every morning knowing exactly what's ahead of us. Year in and year out life stays pretty much the same. It's safe and secure. You can see any problems up ahead and have time to prepare for them.

Other times it feels like you never know what to expect! You look up and suddenly there's a huge curve in the road.

The last few years I've felt like we've been driving on the curvy, windy road. I've never really known what the Lord is planning for us up ahead. There have been many twists and turns. At times I've held on tight and pulled my seat belt tighter and closed my eyes and said "Oh, Lord! Really? do we have to go this way? Isn't there an easier road?" But He gently reminds me that He's the one driving. He knows the way and He will get me there safely.

If I quit looking at the hairpin curve. If I quit looking at the speedometer. But instead turn my head and look out the window, I will see the beauty of the mountainside! There is an incredible scene spread before me! There's incredible people and places to visit along the way!

Sure, I could be driving through Kansas and see nothing but cornfields...but it's not near as beautiful as the windy mountain path.

I just need to remind myself that at times.