Family movie nights

With the closing of schools.. I've aimed at more cuddle time with the kids.. These movies have been a good time. Overcomer was a little too much for my 7 year olds attn, but Breakthrough kept her attn. Both hit on my momma heart strings. These are a must see.

2020 ~ Restore

For 2020, the word Restore kept coming to my mind. There is so much going on in the life of my family that the word RESTORE is a word that is needed.

I know in order for anything to be restored, anyone has to return 1st to God. Make the intentional effort to go to Him Daily in prayer, in the word, even joining forces with those around you that will lift you up.
For 2020, I pray for so many areas of my life to be restored.

2019, I let alot of things beat me down. Now for 2020, there are many goals.. from a church family, church friends, family resolution to trials, to finances, to friends, to putting Jesus and family first and not letting other things get in the way of that. To more dinners at home, to reading more books, to listening to more sermons...

May 2020 be the year to be Restored. B/c January sure beat me down...

Look

I was told recently that I was a floor watcher. I could tell you what floors were cleaned and not. I never look up when I walk, I look at the ground. There is much that people miss not looking where they step. Because of issues with my knees and gracefulness, I choose to look at the floor when I am walking. Since I do look where I am going, I usually can find many nails on sidewalks and driveways. I can let the cleaning lady at work know which places that she isn't mopping the best and which places need to be vaccuumed. I know that we are all made differently with different qualities. I have that of telling what is what ground level, where as I miss some things going on around me.

While I was on the walk to the mailbox yesterday finding many treasures that would take tires out, I thought... How much do I miss not looking up when I walk... How much do others miss by not paying any attention to where their feet go.

I do know when life gets difficult, I do know to look up to the Father who can help with everything!
I have had struggles in parenting lately that have me looking UP for sure!
My kids are in a big in between place with church and with friends. Daycare friends have left so they have no one. My son needs and desires close friendships to those that share his same unique deep thoughts. My daughter wants fun but friends that can take her personality. Right now I see both struggling. I am doing my best but we are all looking UP for help...

Where do you look?

Church

Church: A place your parents take you to as a kid. You learn many important things that you fall back to as the adult life gets hard.
Ryan shared exactly what was on my heart a week or so ago. There are times when life gets hard, but bc if your child faith, you know you can always go home. There are times you are in situations you know better to be in bc of knowing God and knowing what's right.
Life's been uncertain lately. I just needed to go back home... home to where I found Jesus.. where I was baptized.. it has been a healing, but also a place where God has been dealing with me.. the closeness I need. Now if only I can add the community of believers that I need.

This song Church (take me back) by Cochren has really caught my attn many times lately. https://youtu.be/3eTOcrWu8mQ

Life passes so fast!

It feels like I just posted, but then I log in and see how long ago!
This past year has passed so fast! My children are growing up and I journal less. I will miss going back and not getting to read about their days.
Summer passed and now we are in September!
I hope each of you are stopping to enjoy something in each day! Find a blessing in something! Uplift one person a day!

One funny from this weekend was when we passed a field of cows.. My youngest wanted to know what was hanging down. I just haven't brought up udders and breast feeding to them lately.. But since this Normalize breastfeeding has been happening, I know that they need to know it is ok. So I told them how animals feed babies, just how mommy fed them. Both were in shock at first, but then my 9 year old thought with his deep thinking self. He said well thank you mom! I bet if you would not have, I would have a gluten allergy.. and he loves bread.. I have no idea where he thought of that. You have to love kids and their thoughts..

Enjoy today! Life just passes so fast!

Who has God called YOU to be?

I saw this picture yesterday on my news feed. It really struck my heart. I knew that I needed to go read what this lil' summary meant on this pic. It really struck home to me. So many times we compare ourselves, especially as women. The only thing is God didn't make you to be like your friend, your neighbor, or your sister. He made you to be you and to do what he has called YOU to be.
I'm called to be an Encourager. I know this and I have been told many times that this is what I am. It made me stop to see when was the last time I did my part as the church? What is your calling? Focus on what God has called you to do today!
For me, I am not called to the be the creative one... the teacher... the pastor... I am called to be ME.
We also need to make sure we give this life lesson to our children. Help them find their calling and be ok with who God has made them to be and to realize it is ok not to be like their friend.

A Living Sacrifice to God
ROMANS: 12 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[f] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[g]
says the Lord.
20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[h]
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Don't keep looking back!

I saw this pic come up this week and it really struck me to where I kept coming back to it.

How many times in life do we dwell in the past? We shouldnt let our past hold us back! Live for today, you can't undo yesterday, you can face today and tomorrow a stronger person from lessons learned.

No matter what... Sing Praises

Reading the Guideposts (March,2017) that had an article from Reba. She was talking about music is healing to her.. then she states it.. “I believe it is because it helps us. I find if I’m worrying too much about something, I’m not trusting God. I need to give my worries back to him.”

I firmly believe that praise and worship music can change an attitude. A radio station I listen to will dare people in January to stay with their station for 30 days and just see how their life improves. I love listening to the testimonies that occur. I remember once I lived further from home and worked where I didn’t know the Christian radio stations. I turned it on country or regular music. I could tell I was just moody. So one day I logged onto the internet to stream my home Christian radio station, and I honestly could feel my mood change. I keep it on at work still to this day. Now I’m home, and I have a radio next to me. Most jobs now frown on streaming music using their stuff… so this works. I love listening to my children sing these songs. I see people posting their kids singing other songs, but it just does my heart good to hear my kids singing praises to our King! You know there are times they sing while they are busy playing at home. It isn’t worldly music.. they just still praise our King.
So if sad, praise Him.
If lonely, Praise Him.
If worried, Praise Him.
If scared, Praise Him...
I betcha it will help!

Friends

For starters, look at the word FRIEND, and think of the true meaning and those you have close in your life. Honestly if you stare at the word long enough, it looks misspelled. Ha!
We are currently doing a bible study with our small group about Community. It brings me back to the simple word ~ friend.
What do you consider a true friend? Who do you consider a good friend? When tragedy or stress hits, I believe a true friend is one that reaches out to check on you. A true friend just knows you and your deeper self (not the outer mosts of us), but they can pick up that, "hey I need to reach out and check on her."

I believe friendship is easier in our earlier years b/c we don't have the daily stress of family, children, bills, and the crazy life that goes with it. For me it is stopping my crazy life and welcoming a friend to lunch or coffee. Just chosing to pick the phone up and call my friend that lives out of town. Then I can honestly feel better about myself and the stress I thought I had. Friends are awesome. Friends should be like our 1st baseman - ready to help us go the rest of the way in life! We can't be like that garage door and hide behind our door and not share our life from our friends. We have to be open, honest, and raw.. The word "raw" has come up alot in my life today.. to be totally true to who you are.. share the best, the worst, and the stuff that we want to hold deepest to ourselves..

Here is to us praying that God brings the friends into our lives that we can partner up with and do life together!!

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.Proverbs 17:17

Hospitality ~ How Often Do You Welcome Someone?

Fall is a great time! We look forward to the holidays, and everyone is a tad bit nicer than the earlier part of the year. Also, let's face it.. Life is BUSY! September chewed me up and spit me out! Once October arrived and a sermon on Stress.Less, I said hello fall! You won't get me down! One of my favorite bloggers does this October challenge to focus on family and prayer, I love it. I always bring my candle out on week 1. I'm pretty sure the blog link is tied to a picture on this blog. I simply love it and looking forward to time where everyone will look forward to spending extra family time!

Last night my pastor preached on a subject that is dear to my heart. Hospitality. To him it wasn't his favorite point and thought it was something everyone needed to hear but might not light a fire on some. I love it b/c it is something I focus on really just my personality.

Here are some of his points:
Hospitality is receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, and generous way. The word literally means "love of strangers."
Biblical hospitality is about making God look good, not ourselves. So don't let a messy house keep you from welcoming someone!

We are to show it not only to friends and family... but strangers.. fellow believers.. and the forgotten .. He even added those that suck the energy out of you.. You need to love even those.

We are to open our hearts, our lives, our homes, emulate the love of Christ, serve Christ by serving others, and bring glory to God.

1 Peter 4: 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13: Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

We all understand that this world is a dangerous place, but you never know what someone is going through. they might just need a smile, an offer to help, or a simple act of kindness. At the beginning of the year, I made a goal to try to cook a meal with a friend and have them over. Offer my home for a visit, even if my kids had destroyed it. I was an OCD person, but really if you have kids.. you survive and laugh at the mess. May we all find a way to help someone, show kindness to those people that society shrugs a shoulder at, show God's love.. there are so many lost souls out there. And from showing God's love, my we show our children to do the same!

Enourage one another

Let’s face it – We are all going through trials. We are all doing this life’s journey, but we should NOT do it alone! I have seen 2 posts just this morning on FB where people are born encouragers to others that are frustrated b/c there aren’t enough of us in this world. I, myself, love thinking of others, helping others, and trying to help others in small ways. There are a small number of us, but there are times we get discouraged! It is hard when people don’t think like you do. This world would be a better place if people didn’t the ME FIRST idea. Let’s not get too busy in our life that we can’t reach out in bless someone. Sometimes it is just doing something small for someone that touches their day like no other. There are times people are going through such trials that God just needs his son or daughter to remind that person that they are not alone! You need to be a light in this dark world!
When I was frustrated last week, God spoke to me during our service Sunday. I don’t try to bless others for my own satisfaction, but just to glorify my Father in Heaven. The next morning while I said my morning prayer with my children, I realized daily I ask God to help us find a way to bless someone! Do you know if you ask God, he will help you. Your excuse, “I’m too busy.” “I’m too tired.” Just really doesn’t cut it. There are times I am places and I know the Lord reminds me… look this person just told you they were looking for this. So I will pick it up and bless that person. Just ask God to help you! Or stop once a week and find someone to send a card to or sometimes just a text!

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11

I simply just searches “ways to encourage” and found many lists on many sites.
I did like this one http://anextraordinaryday.net/52-practical-and-thoughtful-ways-to-encourage-others/

There are so many people out there hurting! Sometimes just a smile can make someone’s day. Let’s even try to train up our children to be the light in a hurting world b/c let’s face it.. this world needs a Jesus Light!

ENJOY your JOURNEY

Journey, Easter Journey is a book that my 3 year old is loving right now. It tells of how Jesus was on a Journey.. Journey journey Jesus.. Jesus on a Journey.. It takes him from his journey to Bethlehem, to Egypt, to being a carpenter, to the cross, to rising up in heaven.

We were in the store the other day when she saw a cross necklace. She said, "Jesus was on a journey, he journeyed to the cross, bad cross, but he is a live!" I thought the lady at the checkout was going to choke. Yesterday my great uncle asked did she like to read. She looked at him and said, "Jesus on a journey, journey journey on!!" Yes this book rhymes, and I have read it alot over the last 2 months. Yet I don't mind b/c I know God is using it to work in me and apparently for her to witness to others.
Since reading it, the work Journey sticks out in many devotions and things I run across...
FIND JOY IN YOUR JOURNEY is a phrase that keeps coming to mind. I love it especially since I was already loving the word JOY this year.

This life bogs us down. Yet we need to stop and make each day matter... find Joy in our Journey! Jesus put us in this world, at this point in history for a reason! Make each day matter for eternity and try not to let this life you get you down... Stop, take a breathe, and find Joy in your Journey, b/c it is YOUR JOURNEY! Jesus put you here... Things you go through is just part of your journey, learn from it and move on!!

Just Be Held & Keep on fighting!

The song that Casting Crowns sings - Just Be Held

"Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on

And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem
so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, Just be held

When your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But when your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in my hands

Lift your hands, Life your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
and where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won't let go."

I remember the 1st time I heard that song and I broke down. At that point my sister was fighting with her husband for his life. She still is as he is about to go on the heart transplant list and wait to get a new heart. You talk about putting your life in God's hands.. that is truly trusting God. It is scary. You know someone's life on earth has to end so you can continue to live. My son was just informed of this and is now more worried for his Uncle life. My heart breaks for my sister and my nephews. Their life still has atleast one more upheaval to go.

I think of their trials and know mine isn't near as bad, but the enemy allows us to beat ourselves up. "You aren't good enough." "You are the reason that person has an issue with you." "You don't have life together enough."
I find in life I feel like if I took a few steps back in life - who really would miss me? Then I have to think.. I am here for a reason. God wants me to just turn to Him. I need to keep going forward and trusting Him. I have 4 little eyes on me and in the end, if I can lead them to the Cross that is ALL that matters in this life. This life is hard. Sometimes we need to just back away REST and Be Held and then continue on this life. God Cares about You and that is enough! The world wants you to think otherwise, but don't let the world win!

My Son's 6th Birthday Wish

When attending a Birthday party yesterday, I watch my kids as they sing Happy Birthday. Mainly b/c my youngest loves singing the Happy Birthday song. Well my 6 year old is taking it in and has a very serious look on his face. I asked what was wrong? "I was just thinking about my Birthday Wish that I made, it is really coming true." Well what was your wish? "That I would have alot of happy days. You know it is really coming true. I have had alot of happy days and they still continue to come." Could we say this Momma could had stop and cried and hugged my child all day!
I am so blessed that he has such a sweet spirit about him. May we all stop and cherish all the happy days that God has blessed us with!

Children & School

I saw the attached picture and it gripped me b/c it is the way I see school with my children these days. Take my 1st child that I had in school. I think with him not having a caring experienced teacher, mixed with me being young and not seeing the big picture - 1st grade was NO FUN! He now doesn't like school and is trying to find the easy way out. I know I'm not totally to blame, but I wasn't seeing the big picture - the picture that says what does their eternal future look like vs their life here on Earth. Now I think with my 2nd in school, as long as I know daily he tries his best and is putting God first, we shall survive! He will get out of school when he is ready, the idea of my child repeating a grade or 2 is ok with me. School is tough these days. My freshman is reading books I didn't think about reading till maybe my Senior year.
School is tough, but life is harder! There is no rush to throw my child into this big bad world.
I daily strive now just to make sure that no matter what issue they have, that I use that as an example to point them to Christ, someway - somehow. And somehow someway, we try to bless someone that day and show them God's love - Then we have succeeded. If my child grows to love the Lord, I have succeeded.


“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a] 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Are you taking advantage of this brief life?

My Pastor just finished a Tick Tock sermon, which really hit home. Below are the verses that go with this sermon.

We have 3 ways that we waste time: 1. We have no plan for the future – We should spend time to prepare our life to live righteously and to imitate God. 2. We simply exist in the present. Are we seeking God while we exist? 3. Live in the past – do you live in the past? Or do you need to learn from it and move on! Don’t keep looking back!

We are only given a certain amount of days, hours, and minutes on this Earth. The verses below will really show us how numbered our days are. Do we seek God and use every opportunity given? We should look for opportunities in our youth, while our body is still young and able!

“We must realize that in this brief life, we have a door of opportunity.” “In order for us to grow in wisdom, we must constantly be reminded of how brief our time on this earth will be.” “We must constantly remember our Creator before the door to life’s opportunities is closed.” - Beck Payne

This sermon really hits home for my family. My dear brother-in-law is fighting for his life at 35. My sister is standing by her husband and giving her all to him at age 31. Do you think in their teenage years they would see this coming? My heart breaks for both of them. We never know how short of a time God has for our life, the heartaches we will experience, or those we will touch by living for God. We can either make the best of each day – Honor God by helping those that are hurting, stopping to see/hear the beauty of God’s world, working to bring the joy of God to others.

Daily I want to embrace the beauty of the sky, the laugh of my children, the love of my family, and really anything that brings a smile to my face. Our time is so numbered on this Earth. I want to teach my children to look for the best in life. Always try to reach out and help people even if it is just a smile or opening a door for someone, etc.


PSALM: 39:4-9
LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude
6 We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
8 Rescue me from my rebellion.
Do not let fools mock me.
9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.

Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Ecclesiastes 11
5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[c] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
9 Young people,[d] it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
12:1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”

Ephesians 5New Living Translation (NLT)
5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us[a] and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
Living by the Spirit’s Power
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do

Bad guys, God & Jesus in 1, and Have you tried to Comet lately? - my 6 yr old

NIGHTTIME CONVERSATIONS WITH A 6 YEAR OLD ~~
At the end of his nighttime prayer: “Dear God, please make the bad people that will change good and to love you, and please hurry and just send the other bad guys to hell, Amen.”

Then after prayer, he asked was Jesus and God one person. I said well God was in heaven and sent a part of him to Earth to have Jesus be his son. They say Jesus sits next to God in Heaven. But a part of God is in Jesus. I explained it is confusing how people talk about it, but we will understand when we get to heaven. So I just know Jesus stands on our side to help us get into Heaven b/c we aren’t perfect people, but with Jesus we are forgiven. He said well I wonder how it is in Heaven when Jesus gets on God’s nerves and they fight or argue? I explained they don’t. Jesus is perfect and helps God. He thought for awhile and said, “I really still think God and Jesus are one person.” Later he said, “You think they are like an ugly dragon with 2 heads, but of course they aren’t ugly.”


THE NEXT MORNING>>>>

On our way to school, I was talking about how we needed rain to wash away whatever was messing with our allergies. I told him growing up, we sang a song at church called “Send Down The Rain Lord.” I started singing it.. “Send down the rain Lord, We need your rain Lord, Send down that Holy Ghost rain.” AND I immediately heard – MOM YOU just called GOD a GHOST!!! So why not go to the 3rd area of God. Well son, people call the part of God that Jesus left with us down here on Earth the Holy Spirit. “Yes I know that, Why did you call him a ghost!” I explained another way to say the Holy Spirit is the Holy Ghost. “SO we have a GHOST living in us!?” I knew his little brain was busy… I told him that is a little of God’s love that lives in all of us that helps others see Jesus in us.

“Oh!! So that is what bad people can see that makes them want to love Jesus too?” Yes. “So I can say really nice stuff to bad people, they will see God’s love, and it will make them turn good?” So we talked about how you can help others, tell them Jesus loves them, or just be really sweet to them so they can see Jesus in us. Per him, “That is called COMET! When you do things that other people see Jesus in you! You know like the stuff with planets, but different!”

Of course then the conversation quickly went to what size are planets. I told him that I had seen a picture of Pluto on the news last week, but they say it isn’t a planet. He informs me it was, but too many asteroids hit it and made it too small to be a planet. Wow, 6 year olds sure know things. Ha!

Heaven ~ Conversations with a 6 yr old.

My 6 year old is a deep thinker. Last weekend out of the blue, I hear, "Momma Does God sleep?" No. God is always awake. "Well he must really get tired." No one needs to sleep in heaven. We won't get sleepy there. "Really! But what if you want to sleep, will Jesus let you sleep?" I bet you could go lay down by a tree and go take a nap if you want too. "People don't get sick in heaven right?" No sickness in heaven. Everyone will not get sleepy or sick in heaven or sad. "Do you know that that means? There is no POLLEN in heaven! God knows he made his people allergic to pollen, so there has to be NO Pollen in heaven." Either that are no one is allergic to it any longer. "COOL!" and that was the end.

I love seeing how little eyes view heaven. He doesn't ever seem scared of the idea of heaven. I guess because he knows people that are there already. There are nights he says he isn't ready to go, unless I go with him. I think even as we know that we face the end times and sad things are happening around us, heaven just seems so peaceful. I know God is coming soon. I strive daily to prepare myself and my children. In the end, I pray that I am with my children with that time comes. Are you ready to go?

Have you been a friend lately?

I'm not sure if it is true for you, but to me a true friend is really hard to find. True friends realize you are going through things, even if you don't chose to broadcast it. Maybe you think, well I don't see my friend often. Well do you just send a quick text or email or call just to check in on them? To have good friends, you have to be a good friend. It is easy to find ourselves getting depressed b/c we haven't had the ones we thought really cared for us checking in, but have you stopped to check in with anyone?
I have learned during difficult times that you can't hide - sick loved one, death in the family, these are the times you see who your true friends are. The ones that walk with your daily life and then stand stronger with you during those times. Treasure these friendships.
One awesome quality of a good friend is the ones that love you even when you aren't perfect. They forgive, don't hold grudges, and love you regardless. I pray my children have these type of true friends.
Today stop and think have you been the friend that reached out to maybe touch a friend that really needed to hear from you? Have you shown Jesus to that friend? And in the times you need a friend and one wasn't there, have you thought maybe Jesus was standing over your shoulder waiting on you to lean on him?

Moving & Trusting God

We looked for almost a year. My children and I prayed that God would send that right house for our next step for our Future. Now this weekend is the final move! There has many adventures while digging out corners of closets that I stuffed over the last 7 years. There have been things the children have stuffed and forgotten about. Now we face the next step in our future - the future GOd has for us and the memories to be made.
I have tried to make each of these last days count. Made the kids realize this was the last weekend here, this was the last night for them to stay, etc. Even people in their daily life have heard the phrase "Go to New House!" I love how my 2 year old says it.
Now we also have been left to Trust God. We have not sold "Old House". I am praying daily for the new owners that they will find there way to their next path God has for them and the memories to be made in our "old house."
This old house holds memories.. memories of bringing both my babies home..memories of pregnancies.. sleepless nights..memories of babies and toddlers...memories of family members that won't see the new.. but will be remembered..
Now in this new season... the New house holds memories to be made of my kids enjoying their childhood.. may we stop to enjoy moments and make memories..
Here's to our new adventure!!