Spring!

Today, the kids have their friends over to play. There is a movie going in one room and video games in the other. I have my "To Do" list going for the next 2 weeks. Planning for Easter and a trip to Georgia the next. As I was planning, I looked up and there in front of me were my beautiful flowers. I had to grab the camera and capture the life inside my home today. On days like today where the flowers are trying to push their way up through the soil outside but the weather is cold and grey, it's hard to imagine that it will ever be warm and sunny. Today, I thought I would focus on the life "inside" the home. I want so badly to be outside! But I think of what God is giving me today. Life in the home. All that we can be and enjoy for today. And I think, do I really embrace all that God has placed right before me or do I always keep longing for something that is not there and then live in disappointment all day because it's not there. So today, I count my indoor blessings, my beauty that is right before my eyes. Thank you for today Lord. Thank you for today!

Easter 2010

We had a very nice Easter this year. The kids woke up to their Easter baskets and they had fun checking out all their goodies. Then we got on our Easter outfits and headed to church. It was a nice celebration and a great message on Jesus' resurrection. We then came home and gathered up our dishes and headed over to friends for a wonderful dinner and egg hunt with the kids. It was a beautiful day, hope yours was too.

Christmas 2009

This Christmas was lots o fun. We went to Christmas Eve service and then had friends over and celebrated with food, white elephant game, celebrating Jesus' birthday and the kiddos opened gifts. Lots of Power Rangers, Transformers, Barbies and Princess'. Christmas morning we woke up pretty late and the kids opened their gifts and then we packed up and headed to Uncle David and Aunt Mary's for Christmas day. We spent the night at Grandma's house. We brought Grandma back with us for the week and had a lot of fun while she was here. Christmas was a wonderful and magical season this year. The kids really enjoyed hearing the story of Jesus' birth and are truly understanding the meaning of the season. We were very blessed and thus we were able to bless others this season that were in difficult places. God is good.

Traditions

I love traditions. In fact as a child I remember many traditions, especially around the holidays. I remember Christmas Eve and Mid-Night mass and Christmas morning at my mom's house and then off to my dad's for Christmas Day and Night. So many other little things are woven into the holidays that naturally carry on in our family now and many more new ones are springing up as our two are past the infant stages. Some traditions that are being birthed around our home is teaching the kids to give in this season. So we are gearing up for the big toy purge of 2009. Both the kids will get grocery bags and they can go through the house and find some things that they don't play with much anymore and into the bag it goes and off to a thrift store we head. Others are integrating the true meaning of the season into a daily practical way so that they "get" why we do what we do during this time. I love to read to the kids before bed, so I have been gathering books that teach on the season. I keep a basket in the hallway so the kids have access to it and pick their pick before bed. Tradition. On Christmas Eve we sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and celebrate His birth. We put Jesus and God into the season. We tell the kids that they get gifts because it's Jesus' birthday and HE loves us so much that he let's us get the gifts for him. "Isn't He giving?" I tell the kids. God gave us Jesus as a gift on Christmas and we remember that by giving gifts to celebrate that. Tradition. Serving others during this time (any time frankly) by buying groceries, buying gifts, sending letters and cards to those who typically don't receive is something else we are trying to cultivate in the kids. So this year we will make cards, buy gifts and food and have them participate in the giving of them. The picture above is of our neighbor growing up, "Mr. & Mrs. Wylie" Mrs. Wylie is a big part of my memories growing up. She never had children, but my brothers and sisters would go over and visit her just about everyday. She taught my sister to tell time and I spent many hours chatting and following her around her house as a little girl. She always bought us a gift at Christmas and now we go and visit her. Her husband has passed away so she is all alone. We love her and now my kids get to spend time with her on the holidays. Tradition. Traditions make me smile inside. Traditions give me joy and peace. Tradition goes deep and carries on for generations. What are some of your traditions? Do share. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving this week. So much to be thankful for.

Everyone needs a theme song

This summer with all the running I have been doing, there is one song on my IPod that I like to call my "theme song" for my life right now. This song really picks up my pace and I truly praise God with this song. I praise Him for my husband, my kids, my home, my church, my friends and you, especially if you taking time to read my blog. It is a Wonderful Life that I have and I never want one moment to get away from me and I don't want to take them for granted. Unfortunately.... I do. BUT, when I hear this song, it inspires me again to thank Him for it all. Be blessed and I pray you are enjoying your wonderful life. Even when it's hard, there are things to thank Him for. Have a Wonderful Day!

And now she is 2!

Tomorrow is Little G's 2nd Birthday and as I rocked with her tonight and prayed for this next year of her life I couldn't help but think of her future and then begin to pray for all that it will hold for her. After laying her down, I remembered a song that I had heard at a conference many moons ago and this song is my hearts prayerful cry for my little girl (and boy). A prayer that she will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is there for her always and loves her so much more (which is hard to imagine) than I do. Happy Happy Birthday Little G - I do love you and I sing over you the same blessings as this song shares, but God is truly the beautiful author of it all. We love you baby girl. Be blessed..... Always! Love, Mommy

Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

As I type this I am listening to Little G scream her head off in her bed. I can hear Big G up reading stories to the baby dolls he took to bed. I know I should go up and tuck them in for the 3rd time and be the "spectacular" mom I desire to be. But.... I'm done. I know they are safe, I know they have all the comforts that the world can offer all around them. Night lights, blankets, warmth, white noise. And I know they will go to sleep, eventually. And I will begin my "projects" at 8:30 PM. Not really wanting to do another thing today. Even though I have done a ton. I ran around with Little G on errands in the freezing rain, in and out of stores buying the last of my Christmas stuff, dropped off, picked up G from school, ripped apart the car looking for his Speed Racer car wheel. Never did find it. (But the van sure is clean!) Made dinner, did the dishes, bathes and the list goes on and on. Yet, the stuff I NEED to get done, still needs attending too. Ya know, the stuff on the "To Do List" that I get to actually check off. The same one that has been on my desk for 3 days and hasn't got a single check mark on it, just more stuff added to it. Like my workout, like my Christmas project that I thought would not be a big deal and now is - I have started and stopped it about 15 times today and have accomplished the first page. Dinner is still on the stove and needing to be put away. C is at another meeting tonight, that I didn't know he had until 5 PM tonight. My toenails need much TLC, but my back is feeling like it's going to give out, so I don't dare do that tonight. My office desk has about a one foot clearing - enough room for me to type this pitiful entry that I am sure is putting most to sleep at this point. I am not looking for sympathy, simply just a place to write this down so that I can look back in a week or two and see how God took care of all the things that are stressing me out right now. There.... all done! Do your miracles God! Ah... I hear no more crying. Sleep has entered our house... Amen!

A Day of Gratitude

Turning another year older tomorrow is something that I surely celebrate. Another year that God has blessed me with. I know several people that didn't have the blessing of 40 years. So thank you Lord for the days you have given me. Thank you for family and friends that have touched my life and molded me and shaped me into who are still creating me to be. I thank you Lord for my husband and kids - they are such precious gifts that you have given to me. Lord , you have blessed me beyond my wildest dreams. Only you know the true desires of my heart and give the good gifts that only a good Father can give to his kids. So thank you for this day. Thank you for each minute. Thank you Lord - it's such a time to be grateful!

Turning forty

"Turning forty would be horrible", as I sat and cried,
It wasn't age that mattered, though ...
It became the realization of how fast time flies!

You spend so much of your youth wishing time away,
Here now at forty; how I wish that it could stay!

"Slow down the hour hand
Take a minute and make it last
Don't hurry-up tomorrow
Tomorrows all come too fast"

We are all born to be someone's memory.
It's only older when you realize,
How many of those memories,
Have already blessed your life!

Aging doesn't bother me,
It's a blessing, if told in truth,
I know I hold the wisdom,
Not gathered in my youth!

But I'd like my "babies" to still be babies
for a little while more
and the ruckus I so complain about
won't stand against the silence
that's in store.

I know they say the best years
are just about to begin,
So, I'll hold on to each moment
as I fight time until the end!

By Debra Gimball

Happy Easter!

We want to wish you a very blessed Easter ~ One filled with the remembrance of what Christ truly did on the cross for each and everyone of us. We just returned from our Good Friday service and am again humbled and amazed at the love the Lord has for us. I never leave a Good Friday service without tear stained eyes and an awestruck spirit at the love the Lord displayed for us with the death of His one and only Son on the cross. My heart breaks as a mom to even begin to imagine loosing my son in such a way. BUT, God is so good and loves us so much and gave us such an awesome free gift of salvation through that death. And with that I say, "Praise God that he died and then rose on Sunday!" Have a Happy Easter and God Bless you and yours. Check out, "That's My King."

I love this picture

I captured this one the other morning. C was having a quiet time and preparing for his sermon and G sat down and decided to have his quiet time with a big wordy book too - the dictionary. The dictionary is not what I see as important here, the important thing is that G saw his daddy with a big thick book - the Word of God and he wanted to be like his daddy. Amazing what our kids see and emulate. So grateful for C and the model he is to our boy. Thank you God for these precious guys in my life.

Our Trip to Michigan

Charlie had a conference/retreat that he was leading in Holland,Michigan last weekend, so Gracie and I decided to tag along. Actually, I was asked to attend the training as well for leadership purposes, so I guess Gracie was the one that tagged along. It was so beautiful up there. It is about a 2.5 hour drive and even the drive was nice with all the changing trees that lined the road. We have had a very beautiful (warm) fall and we have really been enjoying the weather. We had a bit of a break on our Saturday session, so we headed down to the lake shore to catch some beautiful views. I have to say that I love Lake Michigan. The water is so clean and clear and the sandy beaches are so clean and soft on the feet. It was a great break in the day. God has truly blessed us with beauty, it's all around us.