To write or not to write...

I have been going back and forth trying to decide if I should start blogging again. I've been thinking about different things to write about and think of SO many things it's almost overwhelming! It seems that life is moving at such a fast pace these days and my thoughts are moving even faster!

As some of you may know we have an absolutely beautiful addition to our family, Renae Marie. She is a tremendous blessing and I just love her to pieces. I am in awe of the miracle of life and how you can desperately fall in love with a human being that can not even talk yet...and occasionally poops on you!

Before Renae, in my old life when I actually had time, I blogged a lot about the transition from working full time outside of the home to becoming a full time mom. It was a rough transition and, guess what? I still struggle with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt in not having a career. I have been reading a lot in 1 Peter lately and have come across this verse:

 "So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it." 1 Peter 4:19 The Message

This verse has been one that I have been holding onto. I know within the depths of my heart that teaching full time right now is not what God has called me to - He has called me to be a full time mom to  my kids. Most days I think to myself, "I am not cut out for this!" So many times I will have just completed that thought and my little guy will come up to me and say, "Thanks for being home with me mom!" Okay Lord...I hear you...you know what you are doing and I'm in the right place.

I was recently looking through some pictures and found the picture above of the four of us. I stopped when I came across it and thought to myself, "This family is my full time job." My job isn't only to make sure we look nice and smell half way decent. My job is to instill truth, passion, honesty, and a deep deep love for the Lord in my kids and my husband. We have been blessed with a dynamic and vast responsibility as women of God to invest in our kids and husbands. What's your motive each day? Are you investing all that you can?

Untangling Christmas

Check out this link for great ideas this Christmas Season. Karen has great ideas!

http://www.untanglingchristmas.org/buy-the-book/

Miss This!

I was searching through my blog for a recipe I had posted and realized how much I miss writing! I haven't posted since May! So much has happened since our last post including the exciting journey of another baby on the way. We get to meet our little girl soon - due Feb. 7th. We already feel so blessed and excited!

Little Man is growing up so quickly! He is saying so many funny things all the time. We're looking forward to some family time this week for Thanksgiving.

As far as the fast paced journey of life that we're all on I would say that the Lord is doing some incredible things in me. I'm continuing to learn that if we ALLOW God to move within us he will move vast and freely. The Lord has been calling me to pray more and more over the past several months. I revel in the fact that God offers his great Love to us!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'll post some pictures later!

Until next time...

Mumble Jumble and Peace!

Beautiful Tulips in Holland, MI

How is Mumble Jumble for a title? Nice, huh? I say that because it's been awhile since I've posted and I feel like I have so many thoughts in so many directions. I guess the biggest thing to leave with you today is this..."did you know that if you truly desire it you can have peace?" I have been on a pretty intense spiritual journey over the past two years and I've realized over the past month or so that I have come to a place where I have peace within my heart, soul, and mind. Please don't confuse that with complacency - I have not reached a point of comfort and an attitude of "I'm perfect." When I get to the place of comfort then I'm complacent and that's dangerous territory. I believe that to truly be striving to grow closer to God is continually peeling off our carnal layers and desiring to give ourselves fully to the Lord.

I always felt that as long as I was on the journey of giving myself to the Lord I would never feel peace but I was wrong. I have found that continually striving for the Lord with a pure heart allows God to show me those layers I need to give to Him but I can have peace in the midst of that because God is my strength. He loves me with a depth beyond my imagination and He craves time with Me. God's desire is for me to fall in love with Him more and more each day.

I encourage you to find that place of peace with God.  A place where storms may come but you know without a doubt that God has a firm grip on you. He's waiting - go search and find Him. The peace that the Lord has to offer far exceeds all worldly pleasures.

Excerpt from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest - May 18

" Jesus said there is only one way to develop and 

 grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, "Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me." In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you "will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38)

Just a little smooch at the Tulip Festival in Holland, MI

Messy memories with paint!

Sometimes the slowest way is the fastest way to joy.

Happy Mother's Day! Really...let's be HAPPY! So many times over the past two years I have had to stop myself and simply say, Be Happy - take JOY in the Lord! As a mom we all know there are so many pressures but I take pure JOY in the fact that serving God and accepting His love and grace are my driving inspiration behind each day.

I've read insights from the blogger, mom, follower of Christ, wife, etc. Ann Voskamp. Check out her blog here:  http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Today I came across the following excerpt below - (She also has prayers for moms on her website that are very challenging...please check it out.) I leave you with the following...take heart...love God...and cherish your children, allow the Lord to guide you in His footsteps all of your days!

10+ Real Helps for Really Busy Moms taken from www.aholyexperience.com

1. Life is not an emergency. Life's a gift. Just Slow.

2. Now is not a forever grace but amazing grace. Do whatever it takes to wake to wonder right here.

3. Sometimes the slowest way is the fastest way to joy. Make time today, even a moment, to read Scripture and memorize it. Without the lens of His Word, the world warps. (Slowest+fastest to joy)

4. Laughter is the cheapest, holiest medicine. Preschoolers laugh 300 times a day. Aim for double that. Tickle someone, (yourself), if necessary. This is good!

5. Motherhood is a hallowed place because children aren't commonplace. Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege. Never forget.

6. Homemaking is about making a home, not about making perfection. A perfect home is an authentic, creative, animated space where Peace and Christ and Beauty are embraced. (Perfect does not equate to immaculate.)

7. Believe it: I have all I need for today. The needs of our day are great, but God is greater and we call Him Providence because we believe: He always provides. (And when God provides, He should be praised, and if God always provides, shouldn't praise always be on our lips?)

8. Slow. Children at play. Hurry hurts kids. Time's this priceless currency and only the slow spend it wise enough to be rich. If we actually bought our time, would we spend it more wisely - spend it more slowly? (God's Word never says Hurry Up. Gods words only whisper: Wake Up.)

9. Love is patient. Parenting's this gentle way of bending over in humility to help the scraped child up because we intimately know it takes a lifetime to learn how to walk with Him. Patience. Love always begins with patience.

10. The art of really celebrating life isn't about getting it right - but about receiving Grace. The sinners and the sick, the broken, the discouraged, the wounded and burdened - we are the ones who get to celebrate grace! Regardless of the mess of your life, if Christ is Lord of your life, than we are the celebrants out dancing in a wild rain of grace - because when it's all done and finished, all is well and Christ already said it was finished.

You just never know...

So...some days...most days actually I wake up and never know how my day will look. I guess that's the life of a mom! This particular day...Easter Sunday...I had grand visions of not only worship and celebrating our wonderful risen Lord (which I did celebrate and worship for sure) but also taking pictures of my cute, smiling, handsome almost two year son! Well...let's look at this cute, handsome, not so smiling picture...

Easter pictures are so not happening mom!

Fine...you can take my picture but I'm on the move!

Looking cute but still not looking!!

Finally.....waving Hi....I don't know...at least he's looking!

A day that started with tears ended with laughter...it's always one way or another!

Ahh vacation

A few weeks ago we packed our bags, drove to the airport, and headed to Marks homestead of Washington State. This is the kind of vacation where it's great to be away but we keep the pace fairly steady getting to see many friends and family. Although it can tend to be fast pace it's still a fun chance to make memories! Here are a few pics to share!

Anderson LOVING walking in the airport!

Daddy and Anderson at Grandma and Grandpa's house

My creative way of "distracting" Anderson with the tractors while we waited for family pictures to finish

Anderson LOVING his cousin Benjamin

Family pic!

Pushing Great Grandpa's Wheelbarrow

On Great Grandpa's Tractor

He loves his daddy!

Stop and smell the flowers

Lots of fun even in the yucky rain at the park

So tired on the way home!

Fascinated with looking out the airplane window