Well our move to Michigan was a long one and finally getting into our house was even longer. Trial after trial kept me relying on God for strength and a joyful attitude. With 4 kids in a one bedroom hotel room for over 2 months.....it could be nothing other than the Holy Spirit that could have helped me through such a trying time. Looking back I wish I could have journal each and everyday. I had the time seeing as we spent most of our days by the hotel pool, but since I didn't I guess I will just have to pick up where I left off. Don't be fooled into thinking that the good Lord didn't teach me anything while I was away because He SURE did!
Reading through my last post before leaving Florida made me realize how precious these days are. I hope to find the time as often as I can to sit down and journal them on this blog. There was a time when I was able to write everyday. I don't know when my life seemed to get so chaotic that I hardly have time to breath better yet write on a blog, but I sure will try just for the pure blessing of being able to look back and see how much the Lord has been teaching me all along the way as I strive to Seek Him First. :)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Our Story here
I love to take pictures and while I am not a scrapbooker, I do like to put them in albums so my children can take them off the bookshelf and look at them. Each book is labeled with the dates of the pictures inside and I love them because I feel like they tell the story of our life together as a family.
I have been behind on pictures and albums almost the entire time we have lived here. I ordered all the pictures a while back but have had them in stacks waiting to go in the albums for months. Since we are moving soon I have been motivated to get them in the albums so we can pack them for the move.
Today as I filled the albums with pictures starting right about the time we moved here to Florida. I struggled not to get really sad about the time that has gone by so quickly here. It seems like we just moved here and yet in just a week or so from now it will have been 3 years. I don't even think I realized until looking through the pictures today how much we have actually done while stationed here. It has been a great time and I will miss it so much.
You never take pictures of the bad times or the trials, yet so often those are the things that you always remember the most. Looking at my pictures today I didn't see all the trials we experienced while here in Panama City. What I saw were trips to the beach, Birthday party's, house remodeling, visits from friends and family, lost teeth, stitches, haircuts, even a sweet baby brother being born! Blueberry picking, Thanksgiving Dinners, church activities. Every picture told a part of the story. The story of our life here in Panama City. What a fun and exciting story it has been. I will not be sad about it though as I have struggled with all day! I will be joyful and thankful for the blessing Panama City has been to me and my family. God is so good and he always has good plans for us! We just have to take the time to see His side of the story!
I have been behind on pictures and albums almost the entire time we have lived here. I ordered all the pictures a while back but have had them in stacks waiting to go in the albums for months. Since we are moving soon I have been motivated to get them in the albums so we can pack them for the move.
Today as I filled the albums with pictures starting right about the time we moved here to Florida. I struggled not to get really sad about the time that has gone by so quickly here. It seems like we just moved here and yet in just a week or so from now it will have been 3 years. I don't even think I realized until looking through the pictures today how much we have actually done while stationed here. It has been a great time and I will miss it so much.
You never take pictures of the bad times or the trials, yet so often those are the things that you always remember the most. Looking at my pictures today I didn't see all the trials we experienced while here in Panama City. What I saw were trips to the beach, Birthday party's, house remodeling, visits from friends and family, lost teeth, stitches, haircuts, even a sweet baby brother being born! Blueberry picking, Thanksgiving Dinners, church activities. Every picture told a part of the story. The story of our life here in Panama City. What a fun and exciting story it has been. I will not be sad about it though as I have struggled with all day! I will be joyful and thankful for the blessing Panama City has been to me and my family. God is so good and he always has good plans for us! We just have to take the time to see His side of the story!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
My Long Lost Blog!!
Ok so tonight something sparked my memory of this long lost blog that I have neglected for so long. It reminded me of how much I grew when I really took the time each day to ask myself “What did God teach me today and in what ways did I seek Him first?” Then journal (or blog I guess would be the term!) about it. I didn’t realize how much I missed that. But of course lots happened over this last year and I think maybe it was perfectly in God’s plan for me to take some time off. Maybe I’ll try to get back in to it if I can. It probably won’t be everyday…especially since we are supposed to be packed out of this house in like 6 weeks! But, I’ll try my best.
God is definitely working in my life even if I don’t have time to blog about it. Right now he is helping me to work through the idea of moving this summer and homeschooling next year. I have been so hesitant to make that final decision about doing it. (home schooling not moving…that I don’t have a choice about!) I asked the Lord to help me the other day to see why it is that I am having such a hard time with it. I know that I want to be with my children because they are growing so fast and I feel like it is going to be over in a flash. I know that I want to be able to instill Godly values in them. I know that it would be valuable to them, so why is it that I am so afraid of it? Little by little the Lord has been giving me answers.
The first one is: With all that has happened in our family in the past year our home has been a little chaotic. We have slacked off in our parenting and not been as diligent in our disciplining. There is whining and disobedience, disrespect and dishonor. It has all snuck in so slyly. This week I realized that if I want to home school we have to restore the order in our home.
But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Job 8:5-6
And secondly: The Lord showed me that I am worried with what others will think. My husband’s family in Michigan and mine in Chicago will be so close now and I can already feel myself starting to concern myself with what they think. I know better. I must choose God over man.
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
God is definitely working in my life even if I don’t have time to blog about it. Right now he is helping me to work through the idea of moving this summer and homeschooling next year. I have been so hesitant to make that final decision about doing it. (home schooling not moving…that I don’t have a choice about!) I asked the Lord to help me the other day to see why it is that I am having such a hard time with it. I know that I want to be with my children because they are growing so fast and I feel like it is going to be over in a flash. I know that I want to be able to instill Godly values in them. I know that it would be valuable to them, so why is it that I am so afraid of it? Little by little the Lord has been giving me answers.
The first one is: With all that has happened in our family in the past year our home has been a little chaotic. We have slacked off in our parenting and not been as diligent in our disciplining. There is whining and disobedience, disrespect and dishonor. It has all snuck in so slyly. This week I realized that if I want to home school we have to restore the order in our home.
But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Job 8:5-6
And secondly: The Lord showed me that I am worried with what others will think. My husband’s family in Michigan and mine in Chicago will be so close now and I can already feel myself starting to concern myself with what they think. I know better. I must choose God over man.
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Day 32 Faith and Fruit
It is the wildest thing sometimes how when God is teaching me something I end up hearing the same message over and over in different places. For example I went to a retreat last weekend, heard a sermon at church on Sunday, and then went to Bible study on Thursday and ALL three amazingly related to one another. (That is even more wild seeing as the Bible study by Kay Arthur was written in 1980 somthing!)
It is almost scary sometimes how God does that. This week I have been learning (over and over!) about how salvation is not just saying we believe in God (anyone can do that) it is about true faith that shows itself through how we live our lives. True faith produces fruit. If we are in true fellowship with God our hearts will long to be made righteous and seek to obey Him.
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
It is almost scary sometimes how God does that. This week I have been learning (over and over!) about how salvation is not just saying we believe in God (anyone can do that) it is about true faith that shows itself through how we live our lives. True faith produces fruit. If we are in true fellowship with God our hearts will long to be made righteous and seek to obey Him.
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Day 33 Trusting like Christ
In case you can't tell I am counting backwards toward the end of this journey towards Easter. It feels like it has been a month already and it has only been a week!
Tonight at church the pastor talked about how Jesus knew he was going to be crucified as he went through the weeks of Lent. It was probably one of the hardest times of his life here on earth. He knew he was getting ready to die, yet he maintained his focus and lived each day with a trust in God. Knowing that even though these times where hard God had a perfect plan and was going to take care of Him. Our pastor encourages us to look at the hardships in our lives. Are we living through them with a trust in God and a knowing that good always comes through our trials.
Times are not always easy and sometimes I don't know why God just can't do things my way to make it "easier"!
I heard this little statement last night that made me think a lot about God's sovereignty....
"nothing happens in the life of a Christ follower with out the heavenly Father's permission"
That reminds me that no matter what I am struggling with it must be God's plan for me, so I must handle it with a joyful heart, trusting in God just like Christ did.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! Psalm 147:5
Tonight at church the pastor talked about how Jesus knew he was going to be crucified as he went through the weeks of Lent. It was probably one of the hardest times of his life here on earth. He knew he was getting ready to die, yet he maintained his focus and lived each day with a trust in God. Knowing that even though these times where hard God had a perfect plan and was going to take care of Him. Our pastor encourages us to look at the hardships in our lives. Are we living through them with a trust in God and a knowing that good always comes through our trials.
Times are not always easy and sometimes I don't know why God just can't do things my way to make it "easier"!
I heard this little statement last night that made me think a lot about God's sovereignty....
"nothing happens in the life of a Christ follower with out the heavenly Father's permission"
That reminds me that no matter what I am struggling with it must be God's plan for me, so I must handle it with a joyful heart, trusting in God just like Christ did.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! Psalm 147:5
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Day 34 Help!
Ok, so last night at Bible study Julie brought the most beautiful brownies I have EVER seen! Fudge brownies with white icing on top and chocolate fudge drizzled over the top of the white icing!
Jesus died for my sins.....I kept telling myself as I sat there thinking I might just die if I didn't eat just one. I have tried not to make it too much of a public knowledge that I have given up anything for Lent, but last night in my weakness I had to call on the support of my sisters! I was so glad that I did, because even Julie who made the delectable beauties talked me out of eating one. She promised me that for Easter she would make me a whole batch! :-)
Jesus died for my sins.....I kept telling myself as I sat there thinking I might just die if I didn't eat just one. I have tried not to make it too much of a public knowledge that I have given up anything for Lent, but last night in my weakness I had to call on the support of my sisters! I was so glad that I did, because even Julie who made the delectable beauties talked me out of eating one. She promised me that for Easter she would make me a whole batch! :-)
Monday, March 2, 2009
Day35 Accountability
Today I talked to my friend who started this whole idea in me of giving up something for Lent. I was glad to hear that she too was still standing firm. We shared with one another several of the hard temptations that we have had to press through.
She had a Birthday party yesterday where they served Chocolate fudge cake with a cream cheese filling! As she was telling me this story I thought for sure she was going to tell me that she had given in just for the occasion. I was SO proud of her that she resisted such a temptation. My mouth was watering just hearing her describe this delectable cake!! I then shared with her that there had been several times over the weekend that I was tempted to give in but didn’t want to have to tell her when I talked to her the next day that I had failed. This made us both realize that we had made each other accountability partners.
What an important part of our walk with Christ! …our accountability to others. I know that if I had confessed to my friend that I had given in to the cheese cake Saturday that she would still love me anyway just as I would if she had given in to the chocolate Birthday cake, but we didn’t want to let the other one down. We stood together and our accountability to one another helped us to resist the temptation to give in.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for has not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
She had a Birthday party yesterday where they served Chocolate fudge cake with a cream cheese filling! As she was telling me this story I thought for sure she was going to tell me that she had given in just for the occasion. I was SO proud of her that she resisted such a temptation. My mouth was watering just hearing her describe this delectable cake!! I then shared with her that there had been several times over the weekend that I was tempted to give in but didn’t want to have to tell her when I talked to her the next day that I had failed. This made us both realize that we had made each other accountability partners.
What an important part of our walk with Christ! …our accountability to others. I know that if I had confessed to my friend that I had given in to the cheese cake Saturday that she would still love me anyway just as I would if she had given in to the chocolate Birthday cake, but we didn’t want to let the other one down. We stood together and our accountability to one another helped us to resist the temptation to give in.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for has not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
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