Thursday, October 30, 2008

Something Beautiful




I've been inspired. A new "blogger friend" recently had a post where she asked the question...

"What's beautiful to you?"

After giving it much thought, I commented back on what I thought was beautiful. I don't always comment on the blogs I read. This time, I was glad that I did, because I have reflected back to these thoughts many times this week. It's easy to get caught up in the business of life, isn't it? It's even easier sometimes to let the thoughts of everything that's NOT beautiful (like my boys' bathroom) take over our brains.

I'm glad that I gave myself a few moments to think about what's beautiful in my life. God blesses us. He blesses us every day, and in ways that sometimes go unseen unless we really stop to think about it. I pray that you can find the time to stop here... think for awhile, and jot it down. Even if you've never commented before... put it out there. I can almost promise you that you'll think on it and be blessed by it for days to come.

What's beautiful to you?

Oh... I almost forgot to share with you what's beautiful to ME! To name just a few...

1. Witnessing my boys working diligently on their school work.
2. The smell of fresh coffee first thing in the morning while the house is still quiet. Of course, the taste of it on my tongue too!
3. Watching my boys explore and play outside. Their creative juices work best out there. :0)

Be blessed by everything BEAUTIFUL ~

Monday, October 27, 2008

Out of the Mouths...

Every now and then I like to post the funny little things that the boys say around here. During this past weekend, they had a lot to say. Here's just a taste...

As we were watching 'Deal or No Deal' the other night, Caleb and I were snuggling on the couch. Out of nowhere Caleb says:

"Mom, how come God doesn't talk to me?"

Me: "Honey, God DOES talk to you. You have to be still and quiet most of the time in order to hear Him. You know that little voice that you hear every once in awhile? It's usually telling you what's right and what's wrong, right?

Caleb: "Yes... I hear that voice sometimes."

Me: "Well, that's God talking to you, Caleb."

After a long pause, Caleb says this with a big sigh...

"Wow... God talks to ME a LOT!"


This next short conversation took place in the car on the way home from the grocery store.

Caleb: " How do you survive in a war?"

I'm preparing to give him a long, somewhat uncomplicated answer, but Colby beat me to it. He says with this kinda "Duh" tone of voice...

"You duck!"

These boys of ours make me laugh so hard! :0)

Thursday, October 23, 2008

My Wish




I am one who is inspired by music... A LOT! The other day I heard a song that I hadn't heard in awhile (even though it's one of my favorite songs). Every time I hear it, my eyes get a little teary. The song is called 'My Wish' and it is by Rascal Flatts. The lyrics speak volumes! In a nutshell... it's a glimpse into my heart on what I feel for my boys. Naturally, I thought it would be an awesome idea to record my thoughts here today...

My boys are CRAZY! They have so much life in them. They have two speeds... awake and asleep. Recently, one of their favorite things to do has become climbing trees. They climb our trees, they climb other people's trees. We were over at some friends for lunch on Sunday and after the boys were finished eating, they went right outside and started climbing trees. Our friends house is close to the road and they have some pretty amazing trees right there by the road. As I looked out the window and saw my boys up in those trees with cars driving underneath them, I couldn't help but be reminded of that scene from 'The Sound of Music' with the Von Trapp children singing while hanging from the trees!

My wish for them is that life will always be as simple and fun as climbing a tree. I know in my heart that that won't always be, but a mom can make wishes, and more than that... a mom can pray. I pray for my boys continually. I have done that since the day they were born and I started to recognize specific things to pray for each of them. All three of them are so different from each other, with different needs. They are all boys though, and they will all become men. They will have pressures put upon them that I have never felt or had to deal with. I think it's sometimes harder for men to keep their lives simple. Competition is something boys are just born with and it follows them through life. I pray that my boys become confident in who they are, who God created them to be. I pray that their purpose is clear to them. I feel that with those things, confidence and clear purpose, life for them WILL be simpler and yes... even FUN!

There's a line in this song that goes something like this:

"... And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too. Yeah, this is my wish."

So, boys... mom's right here wishin' everything good in life for you. Now... go out there and show the world the "warmth of those beautiful smiles".

Oh, and here's to climbin' trees...

I love you ~

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I Miss My Sis!


Some of you know that my sister is on the east coast getting her master's degree. Some of you may not even know I have a sister. Let me introduce her to you...

My sister is sweet.
My sister is eleven years younger than me, but you would never guess it!
We are very opposite of each other... she says poe-tae-toe... I say poe-tah-toe. That doesn't seem to get in our way though.
My sister is crazy!
My sister is probably the most creative person I know.
She is smart, yet not afraid to learn more.
My sister has a gigantic heart and she would save the world if she could!


I miss my sister. I'll see her at Christmas, but that seems so far away when a part of my heart is way over there in Pennsylvania.

Love you, T'riss.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

In The Potter's Hands

Last night we went to an INCREDIBLE church service!

It was a Wednesday.

It was October 8th, 2008.

It was a day that our Lord has known about since "we" came to be.

One of the many things that made this church service so incredible was the fact that it was such a last minute ordeal. A flyer landed in my hands (received from a neighbor that barely speaks to us... or even waves to us for that matter) on Tuesday night. The flyer was an announcement about a special church service being held up in town. A ministry called "Potter's Field" was the highlight. I had just heard about them from a friend just the week before. I had never heard of this ministry until just last week! The seed was planted in my head, and when the flyer landed in my hands... I knew that God was working here.

There were HUGE blessings that were received last night. Blessings that opened up a part of me that has been closed for so long. As I was sitting there just letting the Holy Spirit speak to me I was overwhelmed with a sense of being FREE! Free to love, free to forgive, free to let God be God. I literally FELT the healing that was taking place in that gymnasium last night. Not just my own healing, but the healing of many. The healing of an entire community! In past years, I have felt a little confined in this small community that we live in. It's a beautiful place, but I've just never felt like it was "home". Last night as I looked around and saw these people and as I experienced this spiritual journey WITH them, I felt like God was telling me,

"Daughter, this is your home. This is your place. Bloom here... where I have planted you."

Do you even understand how GOOD that feels? After almost eight years of living somewhere that I have been trying to get out of... I actually feel like I'm finally home. I'm on that wheel. I'm spinning 'round and 'round and God is forming me. It is only He that sees the finished product. This is only the beginning though.

This man (Mike Rozell) is a potter. He creates beauty with dirt. He takes something so plain, so simple and so gritty and molds it into an incredible piece of art. He uses this area of ministry to speak to people about how we are the clay in the "Master Potter's" hands. We are not finished when we think we are. We are a continual piece of artwork. The catch is... we have to LET HIM do His work.

I am a piece of clay. I am that big glob of gritty dirt that is everything BUT perfect. But... God sees beauty in me. He sees where I've been and He sees where I'm going.

My life is but a grain of sand here. I want to be available. i want to be open for whatever God has chosen for me... as well as what He will choose for me in the future. I want to be pliable. I do NOT want to be resistant. I want to stop the struggle that I so easily fall into whenever everyday life and the decisions we make affect me in a negative way.

I want to become something beautifully crafted by my Potter's hands.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Glorious Design


It has just been "One of those days". We all have them, right? As I've been wiping away the tears today and my heart has been so heavy, I'm reminded now of these things...

God's design is so simple.

God's design is not meant to always be understood.

God's design does NOT need explanation, because He's the one who formed us, and only He knows each and every one of our days.

God's design is never ending.

God's design is perfect.

God's design is glorious, and I can rest in that knowledge.