THANKSGIVING 2015

We have fully celebrated Thanksgiving and are now trying to adjust to the reality that does not include food and family 24/7.  We rang in Thanksgiving week with a delicious dinner at Gran-Gran's house.


(such cooperative children)

On Tuesday, we headed to Kansas to be with my family for most of the week.  Our traveling there was pretty successful, especially by our standards.  There were more smiles than usual.




We had a week full of normal holiday fun.  Movie watching -

Book reading -

Snot bubbling -

Game playing, often combined with baby watching -





Ice storm avoiding -

Old friend visiting - (love these ladies that I've now known for 20 years!)

Eating -




Family picture taking -



and fit throwing -



All in all, it was a great week.  We also threw my mom a 60th birthday bash, which I will write a separate post about.  John rented a car and drove home on Thursday afternoon to be able to help with Black Friday at our mall store.  The kiddos and I drove home on Sunday through pouring rain and sometimes pouring tears.  Let's just say that two adults are always better than one.  But we made it, and it always feels good to know that even if it isn't fun, it is doable.



So thankful for a great week with family!

THANKFUL

Tis the Thanksgiving season.  Here are a few things that I am grateful for these days.

-  Smiley faces found in cereal that beg to be documented by certain six year olds.



-  These four precious people in all their wild states.

- Changing seasons and the beauty that comes with it.



-  Living life with this man.  He's my favorite.





Most of all, I'm so thankful for Jesus who saves me.  Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.  XOXO

THE GOOD OF BEING IN CHURCH

Yesterday morning we headed to church as we do most Sundays.  It should be noted that getting up and out the door is not always easy.  Scratch that - it is never easy.  We have to get out of bed, which John and I do not exactly love to do.  Then, we have to clothe and feed our off-spring, not all of whom are always willing participants in this process.  The drive comes next, and it often involves at least one screaming child.  We are usually late, because of the part where John and I never start early enough.

So, we roll into church, drop off our four children in their Sunday school classes, and then drop into our own seats in the already darkened service.  It's a lot of work, but I'm here to say that it is worth it.

I know that many people in my generation have given up on church.  They've been burned and believe that church is full of hypocrites and judgment.  Sometimes this is true, because the truth is that we all screw up.  Hypocrisy and judgment plague my own heart, and I'm so thankful that Jesus chooses to redeem those things in my life.  There are politics in church, because churches are full of people - sinners one and all.  Any place where lots of people regularly gather will have its issues, because people are messy and real life is complicated.  There are misunderstandings, and sometimes people treat one another poorly - even in church - the place that should be safe.

But- it is worth being a part of the body of Christ, and I'm so thankful to get to worship with other believers regularly.  I sat in our service a few weeks ago so blessed by this knowledge.  I looked around the room - blown away by the stories I was surrounded by.

They are hard stories.  Babies that have died.  Husbands and wives that have failed their spouses.  Adoptions that have fallen through.  Cancer that has claimed loved ones.  I could see these stories written in the faces around me.

"But God."  I love that phrase - there can be such horror, BUT GOD wants to make it right.  But God is waiting to write a bigger story for our good and his glory.

So, I can see the pain all around, But God writes stories of redemption on top of the loss and pain.  He walks closely to those who are suffering.  He is gracious and merciful to those who repent.  He is full of love and favor for his children.  I got to see each of the people who have lived those stories worshipping the Lord.  And it was and is beautiful.  There is something so powerful about witnessing beauty from ashes, and I'm so thankful to be able to be in church with people who are by no means perfect, but who are seeking the Lord and what he has for their lives.

It's good to be in church.  It's not perfect or always fun, but it is good, and I'm thankful.

CELEBRATING MY DAUGHTER, MY SISTER

Every night, we tuck our kiddos into bed and ask three questions.

"How much do I love you?"   - THIS MUCH
"When will that ever stop?"    - NEVER
"Who loves you the most?"    - JESUS

John started it years ago, and now, it is second nature.  We love the Lord, and it is our greatest hope and desire that our children will know and love him as well.  It has been my prayer since they were each born.  I always knew that giving Jesus to our children would be a big part of the way that we parent, and it is a bit trickier than I imagined to lead them towards Jesus without shoving him down their throats.  I want our children to respond to Jesus' love for each of them - I don't want them to ever feel pressured into accepting Christ to please their parents.

Both John and I became Christians at very young ages, and we both sincerely believe we accepted Christ when we were young.  That being said, we both remember growing in knowledge and truth and solidifying our faith when were were in middle school and high school.  We believe it is a faith journey and that ultimately, the Holy Spirit is the guide for each person's heart.  I cannot, nor should not, force my child to believe something just because I believe it.

Honestly, this is one of the hardest things I face as a parent: knowing that each of my children has a free will to choose their own path.  I cannot control any of their destinies.  As a parent, it is easy to want to manipulate their futures into what I think might be good for each of them.  But, I trust that God knows what is best for each one of my children.  One of my specific prayers is that my children will trust God at an early age, and that they will understand how much he loves them and want to love him back.

A couple of weeks ago, I began to see fruit from this prayer, and it is such a joy.  Lily showed me these pictures that she had drawn over the weekend, and I was amazed to see what all was going on inside of her mind, unbeknownst to me.

(God and Lily)

(God loves the whole world.)

(A treasure map pointing to where God is.)

(A bridge where God helps you get to where God is.  Over the frogs and fish, of course.)

I was a bit stunned and also delighted as I asked her questions and heard about the way she understood things.  About a week later, when I was tucking the girls into bed, Bella actually started talking about how Jesus is always knocking on our hearts.  This is something they've talked about at church recently.  Lily piped up saying that she had let Jesus into her heart.  We talked a while longer, and I can honestly say that I can see the Lord working inside of her.  I am amazed and so thankful.

We celebrated with a dinner at our typical "birthday" restaurant complete with a Chocolate Mess, which was handily devoured.  

It is such a joy to know that my daughter is now my sister in Christ as well.  I did ask for and receive Lily's permission to share this on the blog, because it is her story.  I look forward to seeing the way that the Lord continues to work in each of us!  And just so you don't get the idea that my six-year-old is super spiritual, most drawings in the house aren't themed like this.  Saturday morning, we woke up to the girls pledging allegiance to the flag that they had drawn and taped up into the corner of our room.

I still need to take it down.  I guess we're just ultra spiritual AND patriotic.  :)