I wanted to share a post today that touched my heart. Amy did a great job explaining that there is such a time as being too late.
check out Amy's post
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Maybe I am being irresponsible....
It is my prayer that all of you who read this will never lose the sight that what we have been given is a blessing from the Lord. I pray that the desire to give back and not be attached to the "stuff" that consumes our lives to become more valuable than our relationship with Jesus.
To me, these kids are worth it. Jesus is worth it. If you are not familiar with this little guy, I want you to click here and read about where he came from.
No, I have no idea where my children's college fund will come from nor do I know how we are going to retire.
Living life "normally" for me includes building relationships with others so they may be pointed to growing closer to Jesus. Living normally, for me, means using everything that we have been given to bring Glory and honor to the One who deserves it.
Please, view this sermon and let it wreck your heart. I am praying for your heart to be wrecked in Jesus' name because it is only through Him that it can happen.
To me, these kids are worth it. Jesus is worth it. If you are not familiar with this little guy, I want you to click here and read about where he came from.
No, I have no idea where my children's college fund will come from nor do I know how we are going to retire.
Living life "normally" for me includes building relationships with others so they may be pointed to growing closer to Jesus. Living normally, for me, means using everything that we have been given to bring Glory and honor to the One who deserves it.
Please, view this sermon and let it wreck your heart. I am praying for your heart to be wrecked in Jesus' name because it is only through Him that it can happen.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Funky Family Friday
They're here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alayna, clearly, is wondering what she's been born into.
Alayna, clearly, is wondering what she's been born into.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Homeschooling
Homeschooling has been an internal battle for me for over a year now. It's been mixed with feelings of dread and insecurity and gradually has evolved into excitement and anticipation.
Looking back at the journey of God gently peeled my tight grip from my will and lovingly disciplined me to pursuing HIS heart. When I finally let go of my will, which included NOT owning a mini van or living in the frozen tundra prairies, it's been a journey of living by the seat of my pants.
It's been an amazing ride.
Homeschooling has me really excited. Did I really just say that? Never ever did I foresee me feeling excited about it. I find myself on websites and in stores looking for creative ways to teach our kids the next 2 years.
So, we will be starting THIS SUMMER with homeschooling. Ben, being 11 days away from summer vacation, has other ideas about what to do with his time. We figure if we start now, it is one less thing to adjust to in Kenya....and I think we would benefit from that.
Thank you for all of your encouragement with homeschooling. I know there will be struggles ahead. Please keep filling me up with what works for you and what hasn't worked!
Looking back at the journey of God gently peeled my tight grip from my will and lovingly disciplined me to pursuing HIS heart. When I finally let go of my will, which included NOT owning a mini van or living in the frozen tundra prairies, it's been a journey of living by the seat of my pants.
It's been an amazing ride.
Homeschooling has me really excited. Did I really just say that? Never ever did I foresee me feeling excited about it. I find myself on websites and in stores looking for creative ways to teach our kids the next 2 years.
So, we will be starting THIS SUMMER with homeschooling. Ben, being 11 days away from summer vacation, has other ideas about what to do with his time. We figure if we start now, it is one less thing to adjust to in Kenya....and I think we would benefit from that.
Thank you for all of your encouragement with homeschooling. I know there will be struggles ahead. Please keep filling me up with what works for you and what hasn't worked!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Why I don't run
It's marathon season here in Fargo. My husband is obsessed. I would like to take this week and celebrate why I do NOT run.
1. Froggles - a term my husband speaks. a.k.a "the jogging farts". Are you kidding me!?!?
2. Bleeding nipples - tshirts chaffing...gah! do I need to explain? Looks like a great time. Sign me up.
3. Pooping in pants - apparently the bowel system unleashes when you run and forget to clear out the pipes.
4. Being chased by dogs. Or, being bitten by TJ's personal favorite, a Bischon Frise. Ruff Ruff.
5. Hypothermia (in this part of the country, not freezing to death requires a minimum of 11 layers of running gear)
Oh, and did I mention that 9 months out of the year it feels like it's dark from 7pm to 6am? So, in order to get a good run in, one must look like a glow stick to not get run over by a car, snowplow, or whatever....
6. The gear. Tight pants, short shorts, shoes that look like this!
Nothing about this screams "HEY! I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME!!!"
TJ swears it's a great stress reliever. I coupon and paint my toes. We all have different coping skills.
Perhaps you are a lover of running. If you are running ANY event this year, I salute you! I also will be "that gal" wearing an obnixious outfit and holding some poster up commenting on how warm, relaxed and "not thirsty" I am.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Ode to TJ
I love my husband because...
He lets me go public with this photo.
Because he moves our Christmas tree all around the house, from room to room, until I decide where I want it. And he smiles.
When he is sick, he never complains.
Goes out to shovel our driveway at 6:30am because our snowblower broke down...
...and smiles.
He takes his family to the lands of the unknown.
Flies around the world with me.
..to visit our Kenyan daughter.
loves and loves
and loves orphans
and of course...loves Jesus SO much, he preaches the Gospel like the world is ending tomorrow.... :)
p.s. if you think it was easy to make this photo...well then you don't know us very well!!! (Kenya 08)
...and loves orphans some more.
He's one helluva guy.
He lets me go public with this photo.
Because he moves our Christmas tree all around the house, from room to room, until I decide where I want it. And he smiles.
When he is sick, he never complains.
Goes out to shovel our driveway at 6:30am because our snowblower broke down...
...and smiles.
He takes his family to the lands of the unknown.
Flies around the world with me.
..to visit our Kenyan daughter.
loves and loves
and loves orphans
and of course...loves Jesus SO much, he preaches the Gospel like the world is ending tomorrow.... :)
p.s. if you think it was easy to make this photo...well then you don't know us very well!!! (Kenya 08)
...and loves orphans some more.
He's one helluva guy.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Funky Family Fridays
Fridays on this blog are now dedicated to my family, to share with you why I love them and perhaps share a trick or two that we learned this week, or just something to make you laugh. I love Fridays because that means the weekend is very near!!! I want to encourage you to link up on future posts to share a fun memory or crazy picture of your loved ones that can make us laugh!!
So, here goes my first!
....Something tells me Alayna is teething....
I don't know what it is.....
Just a feelin'
Happy Friday!!!!
So, here goes my first!
....Something tells me Alayna is teething....
I don't know what it is.....
Just a feelin'
Happy Friday!!!!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wrap a Babe in Love
There was a blogger error and the original post was deleted. Thank you to those of you who did comment before to let me know you had donated a blanket. THANK YOU!!
*******************************
My dear friend, Krysta, from KB Photography, is doing something really special for Sprouts. She is giving away a photography session to one of you who donate $8 towards a baby blanket for Sprouts.
$8. Purchase a blanket. Get a photo session entry. ($250 value) Can it get any better?
Our goal is to have 300 Aiden and Anias blankets donated towards Sprouts. Please, check out her site, donate and get entered to WIN.
...and wrap a Kenyan babe in love!!!
*******************************
My dear friend, Krysta, from KB Photography, is doing something really special for Sprouts. She is giving away a photography session to one of you who donate $8 towards a baby blanket for Sprouts.
$8. Purchase a blanket. Get a photo session entry. ($250 value) Can it get any better?
Our goal is to have 300 Aiden and Anias blankets donated towards Sprouts. Please, check out her site, donate and get entered to WIN.
...and wrap a Kenyan babe in love!!!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
"Kenya" catch his dream has been caught!!!!
Ben came inside from playing outside. He had been looking at the box of gloves that had started to collect.
I could tell he was a little discouraged when he said he felt like he would never reach 100 baseball gloves. So, we prayed that God would continue to provide for his baseball team at Mattaw. It was so sweet to hear his little prayer, so earnestly seeking and believing with all his heart that God would answer his prayer. He would pray at bedtime, his little fists and eyes clenched so tightly, begging God, "please please, Jesus, I really want to show the orphans how to play baseball. I know they will love it as much as I do and I know you are hearing this right now, so will you please help me get enough baseball gloves".
He went to bed that night feeling a little encouraged, I hoped.
*******
God is in the details, right? Do you believe that? God is rocking my world in ways that leave me speechless.
GET THIS!!!
During the flood about a month ago, Chuck, the owner of MAC'S Hardware in town, finds an old baseball bat in a storage site he was cleaning out. As he was shaking the water out from inside this rotted bat, he turned to his wife, Ellen, and told her about the baseball equipment he was expecting. Ellen asked Chuck if he knew about what Ben was doing in collecting baseball equipment for Kenya. Chuck wasn't aware of this.
I received a phone call from Ellen last week notifying us about baseball equipment shipment they were expecting. They told us that the Archdiocese had collected baseball equipment that was to be sent to Venezuela. The equipment was not able to be shipped to the country due to complications at the border, so they decided to sell it to MAC's Hardware Store. Chuck and Ellen said that they didn't know all that was coming to their warehouse, or what shape it would be in, but they would call us when it arrived.
Fast forward to last Saturday. We met Chuck and Ellen out at the warehouse and saw this stacked in one of the rooms.
Pallet after pallet FULL of new bats, balls, gloves of every size and hand needed. Ben was on top of the moon!!! Ben spent the morning with Chuck and Daddy going through and picking out whatever he wanted to bring to Kenya.
He came home with about 80 baseballs, 120 gloves and 20 bats, on top of what we have already collected.
"Mama! God provided all of this! Can you believe it, Mama?"
Needless to say, a huge answer to prayer. Ben stops me from time to time reflecting on last weekend saying he can't believe that God knew about all of that baseball equipment. His heart is full of hope and joy and is reassured that God cares for his needs.
I could tell he was a little discouraged when he said he felt like he would never reach 100 baseball gloves. So, we prayed that God would continue to provide for his baseball team at Mattaw. It was so sweet to hear his little prayer, so earnestly seeking and believing with all his heart that God would answer his prayer. He would pray at bedtime, his little fists and eyes clenched so tightly, begging God, "please please, Jesus, I really want to show the orphans how to play baseball. I know they will love it as much as I do and I know you are hearing this right now, so will you please help me get enough baseball gloves".
He went to bed that night feeling a little encouraged, I hoped.
*******
God is in the details, right? Do you believe that? God is rocking my world in ways that leave me speechless.
GET THIS!!!
During the flood about a month ago, Chuck, the owner of MAC'S Hardware in town, finds an old baseball bat in a storage site he was cleaning out. As he was shaking the water out from inside this rotted bat, he turned to his wife, Ellen, and told her about the baseball equipment he was expecting. Ellen asked Chuck if he knew about what Ben was doing in collecting baseball equipment for Kenya. Chuck wasn't aware of this.
I received a phone call from Ellen last week notifying us about baseball equipment shipment they were expecting. They told us that the Archdiocese had collected baseball equipment that was to be sent to Venezuela. The equipment was not able to be shipped to the country due to complications at the border, so they decided to sell it to MAC's Hardware Store. Chuck and Ellen said that they didn't know all that was coming to their warehouse, or what shape it would be in, but they would call us when it arrived.
Fast forward to last Saturday. We met Chuck and Ellen out at the warehouse and saw this stacked in one of the rooms.
Pallet after pallet FULL of new bats, balls, gloves of every size and hand needed. Ben was on top of the moon!!! Ben spent the morning with Chuck and Daddy going through and picking out whatever he wanted to bring to Kenya.
He came home with about 80 baseballs, 120 gloves and 20 bats, on top of what we have already collected.
"Mama! God provided all of this! Can you believe it, Mama?"
Needless to say, a huge answer to prayer. Ben stops me from time to time reflecting on last weekend saying he can't believe that God knew about all of that baseball equipment. His heart is full of hope and joy and is reassured that God cares for his needs.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
My first Mother's Day
Contractions all night. Rushing to my 8am appointment to see my OB praying that I would finally have this baby.....
The weeks of anticipation was overkill. My first pregnancy. All the dreams, hopes, and excitment that went along with my pregnancy to this point was at a peak as we drove to the hospital.
Later that cold, May evening, Benjamin was born. My first Mother's Day.
The feelings of fear, anger, confusion, panic swept over me like a tidal wave that wouldn't stop pounding on me.
Breathing issues? NICU? What did this mean? I didn't anticipate this. He was considered "full term".
My husband and I couldn't have anticipated much of any part of the year we had been having. Unplanned pregnancy. Wedding. Adjusting to new married life. Baby boy. Now, he's having health issues?
It was almost too much to bear. I remember being really angry as I looked out the hospital window watching the world go on as normal. Oh, how I wanted to scream and shake my fist in the air resenting the fact that people could go on like normal WHEN I HAD A SICK NEWBORN IN THE HOSPITAL!!
My first Mother's Day.
I look back at that day and see how God has used motherhood to shape me, refine me as I grow in knowing Him. He doesn't waste our suffering. He doesn't waste the times we feel like failures as moms.
Yes, that day I felt like a failure. Did the extreme stress I felt during this pregnancy thrust my body into labor? Did I do something? Did I not do something?
Today, Benjamin is a loud, energetic, healthy 7 yr old. Praise God. It's been motherhood that has humbled me the most, as I've stepped out covered in poo and baby spit up to grab a gallon of milk, as I've walked sheepishly out of the store with a screaming toddler in the grocery cart...
I'm sure this has never happened to you.
Motherhood has me reminded consistently the grace God has shown me when I've screwed up. I'm thankful He still seems to trust our family enough to move across the world and be good stewards of the resources we receive to help the people in Kenya.
Oh, how precious is the flow, that makes us white as snow, NO OTHER FOUNT I KNOW, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.
The weeks of anticipation was overkill. My first pregnancy. All the dreams, hopes, and excitment that went along with my pregnancy to this point was at a peak as we drove to the hospital.
Later that cold, May evening, Benjamin was born. My first Mother's Day.
The feelings of fear, anger, confusion, panic swept over me like a tidal wave that wouldn't stop pounding on me.
Breathing issues? NICU? What did this mean? I didn't anticipate this. He was considered "full term".
My husband and I couldn't have anticipated much of any part of the year we had been having. Unplanned pregnancy. Wedding. Adjusting to new married life. Baby boy. Now, he's having health issues?
It was almost too much to bear. I remember being really angry as I looked out the hospital window watching the world go on as normal. Oh, how I wanted to scream and shake my fist in the air resenting the fact that people could go on like normal WHEN I HAD A SICK NEWBORN IN THE HOSPITAL!!
My first Mother's Day.
I look back at that day and see how God has used motherhood to shape me, refine me as I grow in knowing Him. He doesn't waste our suffering. He doesn't waste the times we feel like failures as moms.
Yes, that day I felt like a failure. Did the extreme stress I felt during this pregnancy thrust my body into labor? Did I do something? Did I not do something?
Today, Benjamin is a loud, energetic, healthy 7 yr old. Praise God. It's been motherhood that has humbled me the most, as I've stepped out covered in poo and baby spit up to grab a gallon of milk, as I've walked sheepishly out of the store with a screaming toddler in the grocery cart...
I'm sure this has never happened to you.
Motherhood has me reminded consistently the grace God has shown me when I've screwed up. I'm thankful He still seems to trust our family enough to move across the world and be good stewards of the resources we receive to help the people in Kenya.
Oh, how precious is the flow, that makes us white as snow, NO OTHER FOUNT I KNOW, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.
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