The After Christmas Crash!

Ever notice that two days after Christmas everyone crashes? Our house looks like a wrecking ball hit it and not only did it do damage to the physical stuff, but there are bodies laying about in big piles. Not literally. But honestly, there's not a person in this house that isn't lethargic and a bit crabby today. When does school start again?? Is it the crash from all the sugar consumed in the past week? Is it the crash from Santa coming and peaking the excitement? What exactly is it that causes such carnage two days after Christmas? But at any rate, as I'm laying on the couch myself, frustrated at the new phone that Santa dropped off for me because I'm technically challenged, I began to reflect a bit. And I just have to say, I am so thankful for all that has been revealed to me. I am grateful, if not privelaged, to see how God is turning some of the "ick" in my life into his glory. Situations which I thought were lost and there was no hope, relationships that I believed were irretreivably broken, all being turned into something more beautiful than before, all being used for his purposes and for greater things. It's a slow process. And don't get me wrong. I don't always see the progress. I often see roadblocks and discouragement. But today, I realized that there is much hope in each of these situations. And while the outcome may not be what I, as a human, would want it to be. It is fulfilling God's purpose and his will. And really, isn't that what it's all about? Faith is believing in the unseen - we're told this in the New Testament. I started reading a book today called "Intecessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets. I highly recommend this to everyone. It's quite fascinating. Anyway, tomorrow I'll start putting back together what the wrecking ball has destroyed but for now, I'll get back to trying to figure out my phone. I'm going to have to resort to having the teen show me how to make it work. Sigh.

And yes, this photo with Lucy and Santa is the best Christmas picture of our family I can find right now!

More Snow!!

Jeff was thinking about taking his convertible for a "spin".....where'd it go?

What a winter wonderland we have going on in our backyard!

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!

Looking out our back door. A nice new blanket of white.

Lucy's Ready to Go!

It's a sad day when you have to put a coat on your dog to take it outside......but she IS quite adorable (and Lou holding her is pretty cute too!).

New Beginnings

These past few months have been interesting. Trying to have new beginnings with old relationships. It's not easy. There's been a lot of good times - which I'm so thankful for. Reflecting on those, certainly make these bumpy times go a bit easier. But only a bit. Tonight, as yet another hurt was inflicted, I wanted to give up. Hiding in my bed sounded really good to me. Drifting into vegetation state in front of the tv sounded even better. But I'm a creature of habit. And instead, I went about my evening routine, muttering under my breath, wishing to catch a break, instead of being broken. I opened up my books and prepared to study. I felt a tugging to pray instead. God led me to his words in Isaiah 40:27-31 "Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God'? Do you not know? Have you not heard? the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall: but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I thought Whoa! Why am I complaining that God doesn't hear me? Do I really think he's forgotten me or just chosen not to answer me? No. I don't. I believe in his promises. I believe he has a grand plan for me and for this family. I also know that we are called to act on our faith and his promises rather than our heart and our emotions. For he says in Jeremiah that the heart is most deceitful part of our bodies. If we let it lead us, it will lead us to destruction. God promises that each one of us will be in his protection. We have a future of hope and prosperity. And if I look at the current "issue" in those realms, I can turn to God and he will transform what the enemy has planned for bad, and make it good. Praise God for the trials! Praise God for building of character!

A Trip to Santa's Workshop

Well...we did it! We risked the snow and ice (oh, wait...there wasn't any) and went to Santa's Workshop. Now, I asked the girls to put on "something nice" and put their hair out of their faces. Gee, I'm so glad they listened! They certainly are adorable anyway!

Rachel's Corner

From time to time, I'll post a tidbit from my youngest child, Rachel's, world. She is 7. Very imaginative and marches to her own tunes (which are pretty amazing if you listen long enough!).

So today's funny is: At Rachel's recital, there was another student, Kayla. A darling petite 2nd grader. She is literally half the size of Rachel. After the performance was over, the kids played upstairs and the adults mingled in the kitchen over Jeff's yummy treats. Rachel and Kayla came wandering downstairs. They filled their little hands with as many Wheat Thins as possible and started to go upstairs. I over heard Rachel saying to Kayla "Walk in front of me. Remember, you're my body guard." She was very serious. Kayla happily obliged. It was quite a sight to see a petite girl, half the size of the one behind her being the "body guard"!!! Jeff and Kayla's dad decided Kayla was more of the shield than the body guard!!! So funny!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

It's another "snow day" here in Tigard, Oregon. Wow! We certainly don't get these often. The kids are out of their minds with excitement - playing in the snow, sledding through the neighborhood hills, sharing hot chocolate with friends. These are great memory making days!

Yesterday, as I was watching the snow fall to the ground, I was reminded of God's promise to us - that he will wash away our sins and make us white as snow again. Looking out amidst the neighborhood, I saw all the lawns and streets blanketed in the sparkling white. How fresh it looked! How breathtakingly beautiful it was! The things pictures are made of. And I thought....how clean, fresh, and beautiful each one of us are to God. It's mind boggling to try and think in big terms like this. Our human minds, I don't think, can grasp just the vastness of God's love. We can't begin to see the entire picture, like God can. We can't possibly know the things he has in store for us. I can only hope to try and aspire to be the person that God created me to be. I know I fall short. We're told in the Bible that we all fall short. We are all sinners. But that doesn't stop me from longing to be the person, the mother, the wife, the daughter, the friend, that God created me to be.

Currently, Jeff and I are going through some challenging times with our children. They are each in a different stage in life, each having their own struggles. The things our children are going through, reminds us of our own pasts, our own stumbling blocks, and ultimately our own faults. It's hard to look at our faults in our children. Oh, how I think the enemy loves for this to happen - it would be so easy to fall into condemnation and wither. But I know, there is only conviction in Christ not condemnation. I know there is only hope and we are to move forward, not dwelling on the past and not worrying about the future. In my journaling the past few days, I've been reminded that we are to intercede for others. Praying feverently is the best way to help. Sometimes, it's the only way. How hard it is for us to watch our children make mistakes that will negatively affect their lives forever. Yet, we know that all we can do is love them, speak to them with a combination of mercy and salt, and pray that they seek God and God's will. These new trials have brought to me the realization of how much God must grieve when we turn away from him. He guides us, shows us the way, and because he gave us free will, sometimes we turn and take a different path. How painful that must be for him. As my children bring me this kind of pain, I long to strive to never bring this pain to God.

A Decade Celebration

It's hard to believe that Jeff and I have been married for a decade! An entire decade!! To celebrate our grand accomplishment, and it is grand given the circumstances we have moved through, we spent 8 days in Italy. 4 days in Rome and 4 days in Florence. The scenery was breath taking and the food was unbelievably delicious. It had all the makings of a second honeymoon.

While there, God revealed some amazing things to me. He confirmed his calling me down the paths of becoming a pastoral counselor. He opened my eyes to the beauty of his love, grace, and mercy. I grew to appreciate how much he is "especially fond of" not only me, but of Jeff and of our family. To have gone through what we have gone through, and come out loving each other more than the day we got married is truly God's gift to us. I feel so blessed and so loved - an emotion/feeling that I have not always felt in my life. Wow! God is good!