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.

New Year New Beginnings

The New Year is a time to reflect upon the past year..and look to the year to come!

When I look back to the beginning of the year it seems like so long ago! When we started off the year we had no idea that we'd make be making a huge change by moving up to Pittsburgh. Larry lost his job back in February. It seems like with contracting work you never know how the job is going to go. It's either feast or famine!

So he got a job in a place I thought I'd never go to...Pittsburgh! Isn't it dirty and polluted there? and steel mills everywhere? aren't they all Catholics and talk funny up there? These were my thoughts. But the Lord was working on me. He was slowly telling me to let go and giving up my hold on things. He wanted me to let go and let Him guide my life. Like Abraham in the Bible, I felt like God said to me "Go!" Yikes! It was so difficult. But it was such a great decision! It's nothing like I thought it would be here. I have seen the Lord work great wonders since being here! The greatest of which is meeting my sweet neighbors and being able to be involved in their adoption of Isaac! It was an out of the blue call and they only had 9 weeks to prepare but the Lord was with them every step of the way and I'm so thankful I got to be here to see it! Now I get to watch this precious gift of God three days a week. It's made my life so much richer!

Another huge change has been that 2 of my kids have moved out! Renee wanted to stay in Texas and is figuring out her life and what she's to do. Scott is finishing up his Youth with a Mission school and will return to Texas this summer to work. He's also at a crossroads. Waiting on seeing where the Lord will take him.

So it's just me and Larry and Sam now here in Pittsburgh! Sam's learning to be an only child. It has it's good and bad points. He likes the benefits--getting a lot of stuff he wants! But he misses his brother and sister a lot.

I went from working at a great job that I loved so much there in Texas..to volunteering all of my time here! I volunteer at several places and then with watching the baby 3 days a week...my week is full! Larry says he considers me a full time missionary! I like that!

Larry went from working at home the last 10 years to going into an office every day. It's a lot different. But he only works about 15 minutes away and he can make his own hours. Most days he's home by 3:30. I like that!

So a lot has happened this year. My life seems 180 degrees different than it was the year before. You never know how things will change. The thing I've learned most is listen to the Lord and do what he says. It may seem crazy. It may be out of your comfort zone. You may have to give up some things that you hold dear. But leave it to the Lord. He is with you! He only has the best in mind for you!

Deuteronomy 31:8
And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Happy New Year!

Christmases long long ago

I was reminiscing today about Christmases from my childhood. I love Christmas today! I love the traditions, songs, gift giving, decorating, cookie baking, tree decorating, present wrapping....I love it all! I think it's due to the traditions that were instilled in me when I was young.

We used to get two weeks off for Christmas break. The whole two weeks were usually spent at my grandparents house. We called them Maamaw and Pop. My sister and I went up to their house first before my parents came up. That week was so much fun. These were the days before internet, cable tv and iphones. We had to make our own fun. And we did too!

My grandparents lived out on a farm so there was always places to explore and things to get into. The first thing we'd do when we got there was go out into the forest and cut down our Christmas tree. Now you have to realize that it's my grandpa and us 2 little girls that are going to cut this tree down and drag it back to the house. That's why I love Charlie Brown trees! It's almost always what our tree looked like! We'd pick some scraggly little thing and be so excited about it, "This one Pop! Let's get this one!" Pop would chop it down and we'd drag it home all proud of our selection! We'd get back and Maamaw would have her work cut out for her to make it beautiful. She'd put it up on a table and drape a pretty cloth around the bottom. Then we'd get to work stringing popcorn or cutting out construction paper chains. Whatever we had around the house to decorate the tree. We didn't go to the store to get our decorations we just looked around the house and made stuff! Sometimes Maamaw would cut out an article out of a magazine and say "Do you girls think you could make this?" "Of course!" we'd say..just find us some scissors and tape and maybe an old magazine.

Then we'd have little bitty presents to open each day before Christmas. Sometimes it was just a small Hallmark calendar that Maamaw had gotten for free. To us it was a wonderful new toy to play office or school! We'd spend hours inventing new games and plays with our new found treasures.

Then the baking would begin and Maamaw would make our favorite little individual pecan pies! We thought we were queens!

Then we'd go shopping at the Walmart to buy our presents for our parents. Maamaw would always direct us to something we could afford or something we could put both our money towards.

Then our parents would come up and we just could hardly wait for Christmas morning to come! We'd go to bed late and wake up every hour just waiting for it to be daybreak so we could wake every up! Then we could hardly stand it...we would decide that we'd waited long enough and head down the long hall to announce to everyone that Christmas has come! Wake up everyone! Everyone would drag out of bed all cock-eyed. But I knew they were excited too! We'd run down the long hall and into the dark living room with just the glow of Christmas lights from our scraggly tree. The cookies we'd left Santa were gone! Pop would go out to get wood for the fireplace. Even though most Christmases weren't cold at all in Texas...Pop would start a fire in the fireplace. It was Christmas after all!

Then the paper would start flying and the games would start playing! Pop would gather all the trash and feed the fire. You'd have to be careful the directions to your new game didn't get caught up in that fire!

So as we get closer to Christmas enjoy every minute of it! Make new memories. Keep the old. Tell your kids your Christmases past. They will love it...if not now then someday :)

Remember that the Saviour of the World came to seek and save the lost! That's us! Without Him there would be no hope!

Thankfullness

The Bible tells us we are to give thanks in everything.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Wow. Everything. Really? Yep. There is so much to be thankful for. Here's a short list of what I'm thankful for this year. (in no particular order)

• moving to Pittsburgh
• husband that loves me
• kids that love me
• technology that I can keep in touch with old friends
• meeting new friends
• fall weather and beautiful trees
• books
• my fireplace
• The Word
• Larry's job
• good friends to travel with
• be able to help others
• accepting help from others
• people that inspire me to be more than I think I can be
• My Lord and Savior
• churches where people can come together to worship the Lord
• good Praise music
• boldness to start a new life in a new place
• my tiny little apartment
• kids that are growing into beautiful people
• a new little baby that I get to look after 3 days a week
• volunteers
• coffee

These are just a few of the things I can think of right now. There's so much more!!

It's easy to be thankful for the easy stuff. It's hard to be thankful in everything. But the Lord is good! Thanksgiving is a time to reminisce about what we are thankful for.

Revelation 7:12 saying: “ Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Just imagine...it'll be thanksgiving in Heaven forever!

Amazed

Sometimes I just have to sit back and be amazed. I'm in awe of how big God is. He is big enough to create the entire universe! He created the Sun! He created the stars and the amazing amount of galaxies we have yet to even understand. Yet he cares about each of us individually. He cares enough about us to listen to our needs. Who am I that He should listen to my piddly concerns? Yet I have seen him answer so many of my prayers in the last few months! Sometimes we pray and pray and seek the Lord for years on certain things...and we don't get an answer. But in the past few months I have seen him answer time and time again! He cares about what I care about. I don't know why. But He does. That is so comforting to know that this big big God cares about little 'ol me!

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place—that are mere mortals that you should think about them,

human beings that you should care for them?" Psalm 8:3-4

Baby Birds

Don't you love how the natural world is symbolic of the spiritual world? Before a new plant grows..the seed has to die first. John 3:30 "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." John 12:24 "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives."

The rain comes. Sometimes it's a downpour and sometimes just a sprinkle. But it's always needed to replenish the earth. That's how things become green and alive is with a little storm! Without the storm things would dry up and die.

There are so many more examples of spiritual things in the natural world. God chose to give me one right outside my window! There were 3 baby birds that were born in the bush right where I walk by every day to get to my car! Larry was the one that noticed them first. Three little blue eggs in a nest. I started to get excited every time I went to my car to see how the little guys were!

Then we went out one day and one had hatched! Then 2! Then they were all just tiny, ugly things in the nest waiting for mama bird to come feed them.

Before I knew it they were getting bigger and bigger! Then we noticed one had fallen out of the nest. Then we couldn't find him! Hopefully the mama had moved him somewhere! I hope the cat didn't come by that day!

Then a few days later we went to peek on the babies. I looked in and the 2 babies flew out! Oh my! Scared me! Then we checked on them again that evening and no more babies. The nest was empty.

Wow! God was speaking to me so loudly through this visual! Empty nest! 3 babies! Interesting...

So keep your spiritual eyes open to the things going on around you. You never know how the Lord will use this physical world to communicate spiritual truths to you.