2016 Year in Review

Just a few snapshots to sum up 2016!  

Lots of fun stuff including:

Trip to Okinawa, Japan to see my Marine son!

Cruise to the Caribbean with our friends

Found out I'm gonna be a Grandma!!!! (Ok this is definitely the highlight!!)

Trips to Austin, Virginia, Pittsburgh!

Friends from Pittsburgh came to visit and we gave them a Texas tour!

Lots of geocaching!

Lost some friends and family too :( 

Biking and Hiking!

So much laughing!

Lots of little weekend adventures too!

Fun and games with nieces, nephews and great nieces & nephews!

Continuing to work on memorizing Philippians

Got a (new to me) car! 

Praying you all are blessed and have a fabulous 2017!

 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3-6

It's time for us to do something

We spent the last week in New Orleans with the group Operation Save America doing pro-life ministry. What an encouraging, inspiring, challenging week it was!  We spent time at 2 abortion mills standing for the truth and proclaiming Christ, peacefully and prayerfully.  Young people, old people, people from every stage, age and walk of life came together to proclaim Christ. During the times at the mills you could find spontaneous worship, prayer, praise, pleading with women and men, holding of signs, and the truth being preached.  Thankfully the mills shut down for the week!

We also spent time at a proposed Planned Parenthood site.  Fortunately,  it hasn't had any work done on it for over a month.  We spent time there reading the Word of God out loud.  By the end of the week, the entire word of God and been read aloud over the site!  Men and women and kids spent many hours there in the pouring rain and in the heat of the sun reading God's Word.  How powerful!  God's Word will not return void.

Teams were also sent to Shreveport and Baton Rouge as well as the City Hall in New Orleans, Canal Street and other places throughout the city.

   

Abortion is the holocaust of our day.  59 million children have lost their lives.  Countless women have died. Many women and families are wounded emotionally.

To see how many babies have died Click here

This was only a week out of our lives.  We didn't do much.  I could do so much more.  Others sacrifice daily.

It's Time for us to Do something!

Being around men and women and teens that are serving God with their whole heart is inspiring.  It is also challenging.

What can I do on a daily basis to help others around me? We only have a small amount of time on this earth. I want to spend my time here doing something eternal.  Something that will have an effect on others.  It can be small or it can be big, but let's Honor the Lord in our lives. Let's be salt that is shaken out of our comfortable salt shaker. Let's be light to those in the darkness.  Serving others, praying for others, helping others. You never know how they will affect you, and how you might affect eternity.

What will you do this week to make a difference?

To find out more about the group we went with click here.

What I've been learning lately

I feel like the Lord has been showing me lately that He is faithful.  No matter the circumstance.  No matter how long we pray ...He is faithful.  I have had many unanswered prayers.  Many prayers that aren't answered the way I would have liked.  That doesn't change the fact that the Lord is faithful.  His love for us doesn't change.  He continues to uphold me with His mighty right hand. (Isaiah 41:10).

I went with Larry to Pennsylvania for a job 2 years ago.  It was a great time and I really enjoyed it.  I met some great people and knew the Lord brought me up there for a purpose.  But the Lord called me back 8 months ago.  I was thrilled to be back closer to my kids!  I knew this was a great opportunity and was very thankful for it!  So I came back and we prayed for Larry to find a job here soon.  I just knew that since the Lord brought me back to Texas that He would bring Larry back soon.  But we waited and we prayed.  We waited and prayed.  Finally, 8 months later.....Larry will be returning!  8 months doesn't seem that long to some.  I realize some people wait on God for years to answer their prayers.  I have waited for years for some things.  

The Lord is faithful regardless of how long we wait.  Our circumstances do not change the character of God.  He is faithful.  His Word is true.  I will trust in this. 

And I'll do the happy dance when my hubby returns!  C'mon...do it with me! :)

Psalm 89:8

O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

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!