Well, I started to post on Wednesday and stuff kept happening to prevent me from finishing it. I now know that was God. Had I actually posted, you would all have had to endure my whining about how frustrated and taken advantage of I am. God clearly had other plans.
Today my message is simple - GOD IS SO GOOD!
When I pulled into the parking lot at church Wednesday night I was beyond angry at the world. In general my thinking was this, "You want to talk to me? Fine, I'll yell at you." I can't even explain the emotional state I was in. I did have my wits enough about me to know I needed to get my rear to church so I went. I dropped the kids off in their classes and went to see what adult options are this quarter. I saw a class listed that is about prayer and the women involved are women I have tremendous respect for so I thought I'd check it out. I now know that was God.
When I left class I was refreshed, broken, reminded, repentant, rejoicing. It was one of those experiences when you realize God is talking directly to you. He punched me in the gut, kicked my rear and then hugged my heart so wonderfully, peacfully gently that I broke and the tears flowed. The message at the root was basic - I'll sum up..."Now that you admit you can't do it on your own and that you have forgotten I am in control, move over and let me work."
And boy has he been busy! I can think of at least 5 prayers that have been specifically answered this week. A broken family I love dearly has started the healing process. We sold our Vette for more than we expected. (this is a bittersweet answered prayer - but I'll talk about that in another post) All the pieces fell into place regarding my little job at church coordinating childcare for Ladies' Bible Class. The framers are decking the roof on our new house (that means we are ahead of schedule if you can imagine). AND, my Nana is already out of her surgery and doing well.
I assume some of you remember the "Move over Bacon, now there something..." (was it leaner or meatier - I can't remember). Well, that's the slogan that ran through my mind when I got the message loud and clear. I'm going to write Move Over Bacon on my bathroom mirror as a reminder to see each morning that I need to keep my controlling human thinking out of the way and let the Master work His plan. Please pray for me, that in my hormonal, stressed out state I can do just that and rest in the peace that His plan is so much more than I could ever accomplish alone.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Care-a-laters
My sweet Paris is always teaching me things. She (and her brother) love the Care Bears. They are for the most part cute and tolerable so I don't mind this obsession of theirs much. The Care Bears have a Caring Meter in Care-a-lot (that's whre they live). It looks a lot like a gas guage on a car. I guess to Paris is looks like a clock.
Now, she know that clocks tell time. Digital clocks are just that, clocks. Watches are either watches with buttons (digital) or watches with turny things (regular). Small clocks (travel alarm size) are just clocks too. Anything larger than that, however, transforms from a clock into a "Care-a-later." My Nana has an old clock on her mantle that is Paris' favorite, but pretty much any clock big enough to be hung on the wall is a care-a-later. Funny thing is she still knows they tell time and are not showing how much caring is going on. She came out from rest-time (we don't call it nap time anymore since she refuses to nap) and said "My care-a-later is pointing up at the 12 so I can come out!" She was correct.
This whole thing has had me thinking though. I think, as alway, she is on to a bigger message. I think clocks - all of our clocks - are indeed caring meters. After all, they tell us where our time is spent, and where we spend our time show us what we really care about. How much time we spend at work, playing with our kids, watching TV, reading a good book, reading God's Word, in fellowship with others, sleeping, etc....
This realization has helped me re-evaluate some things. I now turn my computer off during the day. I only use it first thing in the morning, during rest-time, and after the kids go to bed. I'm trying to spend more time playing in the floor with the kids (though the growing belly makes that tough). I'm not fussing when Easy has to spend his time taking care of things outside of this house because I know he is doing it all for our future and because he loves his children so much it can bring him to tears (trust me, I've seen it). I'm trying to spend less time on my couch and more time getting this done that will help my family be strong and healthy both mentally and physically. I'm trying to use the little time we have on earth to do what it is God wants me to do - and sometimes that hard (but that's a whole other blog entry).
So tomorrow, I encourage you to strap on your care-a-later and see where your time goes. It truly is a good representation of where your heart is. We don't know how much of this time stuff we have, so I hope we can all learn to use it as best we can and remember that moments spent in relationship with others are usually way more importnant than blogging or getting the dishes done.
Now, she know that clocks tell time. Digital clocks are just that, clocks. Watches are either watches with buttons (digital) or watches with turny things (regular). Small clocks (travel alarm size) are just clocks too. Anything larger than that, however, transforms from a clock into a "Care-a-later." My Nana has an old clock on her mantle that is Paris' favorite, but pretty much any clock big enough to be hung on the wall is a care-a-later. Funny thing is she still knows they tell time and are not showing how much caring is going on. She came out from rest-time (we don't call it nap time anymore since she refuses to nap) and said "My care-a-later is pointing up at the 12 so I can come out!" She was correct.
This whole thing has had me thinking though. I think, as alway, she is on to a bigger message. I think clocks - all of our clocks - are indeed caring meters. After all, they tell us where our time is spent, and where we spend our time show us what we really care about. How much time we spend at work, playing with our kids, watching TV, reading a good book, reading God's Word, in fellowship with others, sleeping, etc....
This realization has helped me re-evaluate some things. I now turn my computer off during the day. I only use it first thing in the morning, during rest-time, and after the kids go to bed. I'm trying to spend more time playing in the floor with the kids (though the growing belly makes that tough). I'm not fussing when Easy has to spend his time taking care of things outside of this house because I know he is doing it all for our future and because he loves his children so much it can bring him to tears (trust me, I've seen it). I'm trying to spend less time on my couch and more time getting this done that will help my family be strong and healthy both mentally and physically. I'm trying to use the little time we have on earth to do what it is God wants me to do - and sometimes that hard (but that's a whole other blog entry).
So tomorrow, I encourage you to strap on your care-a-later and see where your time goes. It truly is a good representation of where your heart is. We don't know how much of this time stuff we have, so I hope we can all learn to use it as best we can and remember that moments spent in relationship with others are usually way more importnant than blogging or getting the dishes done.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Bring it On!
Well, the holiday season has come and gone and it is now a new year. I learned a few things during my blogging break. First, my Nana has an amazing spirit. This isn't really news to me, but I've seen it shine through yet again as she is recovering from breaking her hip and having it repaired. Second, my Mom has the same spirit. She has done an amazing job being there for Nana and keeps her cool better than I ever could when things get challening. I hope one day my daughters will say I have that same spirit....I think it will take some cultivating though. Third, slinkies require constant maintenance. That may not be earth shattering news to you, but since Paris recieved 3 of those sproingy little toys in her stocking my world has changed a bit. The good news is that fixing a slinky can at times be so monotonous that it's almost like knitting. Rather, almost like I think knitting would be for me if I knew how to knit. Your hands are busy and your mind is not. Maybe I'm wrong about knitting.
So, now it't time to take on 2006. I say, bring it on! If there is one thing 2005 taught me it is that God's plan is better than mine could ever be and that He is always watching out for me and my family. We started the year off still adjusting to having our second child and looking for a job for Easy. He has been laid off just weeks before Tripp was born so it was starting to get a little rough. While we soon adjusted to life with two kids, the job hunt was seemingly fruitless. He picked up some jobs here and there, but nothing steady. We had to get private health insurance...everyone got approved except me. So, with lots of walking and re-learning what it is to let your stomach growl before you eat I lost enough weight to get added on around May. Good thing it was "baby weight" or there would have been a 1-year waiting period to see if I could keep it off! Right as we were nearing the end of our nest-egg that had been keeping us afloat - I mean literally, we only had a few weeks left before we were going to start asking family to help pay bills...all the bills - Easy got hired at a company in Houston. I was so excited to have a steady income that could hardly sit still. Turns out that the commute isn't too bad, our private insurance is cheaper than what we would pay to go through his new job (not to mention we are totally out of network in BCS), and I was still capable of being a stay-home mom without him around. (I had really gotten spoiled to his presence and help.) That was in July I think - maybe the end of June. We started working on getting everything in order to start building a new house - a dream God planted in our hearts back in February when we could hardly pay our light bill. We were able to secure THE lot we wanted in a new development on the Houston side of BCS. I know God was holding it for us. He's good like that. In August we found out that we were pregnant! Talk about surprises. To round the year out the process of getting started actually building our house took about 4 months longer than we expected. The loan finally closed on December 22nd. My Nana fell and broke her hip a few weeks prior to Christmas, so our holiday schedule went haywire. In the end, however it was a great time - this will be the only Christmas I have actual memories of being in Nana's house. It was a real treat to have her come home on Christmas Eve and celebrate together as a family.
So, here's 2006. We're starting off expecting our third child in a few months. We have income. We have actually started construction on our new house. We have the most amazing support system in our family, friends, and church home. We have SO much! Thing is, the things that are different are just details. Instead of a having a newborn, I'm pregnant. Detail. We'll have a new address soon. Detail. Money - detail. All the important things are exactly as they always are. (we just forget what's important sometimes) We are blessed by and amazing God who has already done more than I can fathom to better our lives. We are children of God and friends of God and there is nothing else that is more important.
So as the year procedes with it's own surprises, challenges, and blessings I say...Bring It On! My only resolution this year is to remember how gracefully God carried us through last year so that my peace, my joy, and my strength comes from Him alone. (Yes, I know that's easier said than done, but that's why it's a resolution.) I wish the same for each of you.
So, now it't time to take on 2006. I say, bring it on! If there is one thing 2005 taught me it is that God's plan is better than mine could ever be and that He is always watching out for me and my family. We started the year off still adjusting to having our second child and looking for a job for Easy. He has been laid off just weeks before Tripp was born so it was starting to get a little rough. While we soon adjusted to life with two kids, the job hunt was seemingly fruitless. He picked up some jobs here and there, but nothing steady. We had to get private health insurance...everyone got approved except me. So, with lots of walking and re-learning what it is to let your stomach growl before you eat I lost enough weight to get added on around May. Good thing it was "baby weight" or there would have been a 1-year waiting period to see if I could keep it off! Right as we were nearing the end of our nest-egg that had been keeping us afloat - I mean literally, we only had a few weeks left before we were going to start asking family to help pay bills...all the bills - Easy got hired at a company in Houston. I was so excited to have a steady income that could hardly sit still. Turns out that the commute isn't too bad, our private insurance is cheaper than what we would pay to go through his new job (not to mention we are totally out of network in BCS), and I was still capable of being a stay-home mom without him around. (I had really gotten spoiled to his presence and help.) That was in July I think - maybe the end of June. We started working on getting everything in order to start building a new house - a dream God planted in our hearts back in February when we could hardly pay our light bill. We were able to secure THE lot we wanted in a new development on the Houston side of BCS. I know God was holding it for us. He's good like that. In August we found out that we were pregnant! Talk about surprises. To round the year out the process of getting started actually building our house took about 4 months longer than we expected. The loan finally closed on December 22nd. My Nana fell and broke her hip a few weeks prior to Christmas, so our holiday schedule went haywire. In the end, however it was a great time - this will be the only Christmas I have actual memories of being in Nana's house. It was a real treat to have her come home on Christmas Eve and celebrate together as a family.
So, here's 2006. We're starting off expecting our third child in a few months. We have income. We have actually started construction on our new house. We have the most amazing support system in our family, friends, and church home. We have SO much! Thing is, the things that are different are just details. Instead of a having a newborn, I'm pregnant. Detail. We'll have a new address soon. Detail. Money - detail. All the important things are exactly as they always are. (we just forget what's important sometimes) We are blessed by and amazing God who has already done more than I can fathom to better our lives. We are children of God and friends of God and there is nothing else that is more important.
So as the year procedes with it's own surprises, challenges, and blessings I say...Bring It On! My only resolution this year is to remember how gracefully God carried us through last year so that my peace, my joy, and my strength comes from Him alone. (Yes, I know that's easier said than done, but that's why it's a resolution.) I wish the same for each of you.
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