I love bedtime! It's quiet as soon as I put the kids down. I can have a little peace for myself and I have been sleeping SO well! Part of it is because Jovie has finally stopped having night terrors! She would have them almost every night for months. It was exhausting. But they seem to be gone! And I am sleeping! And we are trying to get to bed by 9pm and it is wonderful! We go to bed so early (although, I'm starting to think even 9 is late...) because we are up at 5 because of the sun and birds. And I believe God wakes me up to spend some time with Him, which is great!
But Rob is now going out to the farm at 6 am. He was spoiled for a while, going in at 9! It is almost 9pm now and he is not even home from the farm yet! Poor guy. No time left for anything! But he really enjoys it. He is outside all day! Anyone who knows Rob will know that makes him happy! He is loving this experience! I love to get out there with him and hopefully not hinder the work!
I have also been riding Rob's bike around trailing Jovie. That can take some work, especially on the hills. Which are everywhere. One day I would love to live where there are no big hills so I can easily ride a bike around! But I am able to climb the hills, even while towing 40-50 extra pounds! I have also been running, on a treadmill (because I have the kids and they can jump on the rebounder while I run) and I feel great! I am only at the 1 mile, but it's great! So that helps with my sleeping. And it has been very warm.
I really have to say, again, that it is such a blessing to be here. There are times I wish I wasn't here, but generally, I am very grateful to be here. God is working on us, on me. I can only pray that I am open to His teaching and molding of my heart. And I can NOT wait to see what He has planned for us! There are doors opening, but which one we enter, I can't wait to find out! I will be letting you in on these opportunities soon. I am just trying to wrap my head around them, and of course pray about them!
Yikes! It's after 9 and I need to get to bed!
I hope you had a fantastic weekend! Blessings to you!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A Lesson Learned!
Let me tell you. It is pretty difficult to not know what we will be doing come October. The closer it gets, I find the more anxiety I have. I have been praying for God's direction. I had been determined that we, as a family, would enter the mission field, go abroad... Rob has other plans. He wants to buy land somewhere, start a farm and apparently settle down.
So as you can imagine, we were silently battling it out to see who would win! Not real fighting or even talking about it, but just holding on to our wants and see whose idea God will choose, if you will.
God has been teaching me lately. I pray I am learning what it is He is teaching me. Instead of going out into the exotic mission field, I have a mission in my own home! My children are my ministry. Who they grow up to be, how they turn out, will they choose God and serve Him and ultimately be in heaven with their Savior? The way they treat people, their reactions to unpleasant situations, how they act when no one else is looking. These are the things God has for me right now. Honestly, I don't know where to begin to start with all the habits they attained that are not appealing. But God has promised to help. Brody and Jovie are His children. He has given Rob and I the responsibility to train them for His service. Yikes! But, again, God has promised to help. I pray for His presence to be near me, right next to me, as near as He can get(!) when I am dealing with situations, when I am talking with them, when I am loving on them! All the time!
In a sense, I was looking for a promotion. I was wanting a bigger work.
I have also discovered that I am expecting blessings from God. What am I doing that I should blessed? A true prayer I have prayed is, "God give us property, please." Selfish. Is my heart truly seeking to do God's work with this property I am expecting Him to give us? Honestly, no. I might be painting pretty pictures around it to make it look that way and tricking myself to believe it, but I can see myself receiving the gift and not doing my part. That pains me.
This morning I was reading in a little book that Dean Lou (Fitting) gave to Rob called Help in Daily Living by EGW. This is a spectacular book! On page 16 it says, "Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not." Jeremiah 45:5. The Lord has no place in His work for those who have a greater desire to win the crown than to bear the cross. He wants men who are more intent upon doing their duty than upon receiving their reward-men who are more solicitous for principle than for promotion.
So I need to focus on my duty, my kids!
Pg. 17: While the shepherds were watching their flocks on the hills of Bethlehem, angels from heaven visited them. So today while the humble worker for God is following His employment, angels of God stand by his, listening to his words, nothing the manner in which his work is done, to see if larger responsibilities may be entrusted to his hands.
Angels are next to me, watching how I perform with the responsibilities God has already given me. I pray that every moment, every second God will give me guidance and help to perform my duties in a way pleasing to Him. And let me tell you, my kids test my limits! Every reaction to them needs to be led by God. I cannot do it on my own. And I fail so often!
Pg 18,19 talks about Plans for the Future. A Christian life is a pilgrim life. It is not for us to shape our future. As we commit our ways to Him, he will direct our paths. God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. Let God plan for you. As a little child, trust to the guidance of Him who will "keep the feet of His saints." 1 Samuel 2:9
What a promise! But it is still hard to trust and wait.
At church this last week during praise and prayer request time, I had a request for prayer for direction when we are done here. After I said that, I realized I don't need direction. I need patience and faith! God knows where we will be going after this. He has a place in mind for us. He just hasn't let us know yet! So I need patience and faith for His timing. I still struggle with anxiety and uncertainty, so please pray for me! Faith and patience are hard things to acquire. Only with God's help.
I pray that this will bless you as it has me!
PS- I still want to travel! Short term mission trips would be great!
So as you can imagine, we were silently battling it out to see who would win! Not real fighting or even talking about it, but just holding on to our wants and see whose idea God will choose, if you will.
God has been teaching me lately. I pray I am learning what it is He is teaching me. Instead of going out into the exotic mission field, I have a mission in my own home! My children are my ministry. Who they grow up to be, how they turn out, will they choose God and serve Him and ultimately be in heaven with their Savior? The way they treat people, their reactions to unpleasant situations, how they act when no one else is looking. These are the things God has for me right now. Honestly, I don't know where to begin to start with all the habits they attained that are not appealing. But God has promised to help. Brody and Jovie are His children. He has given Rob and I the responsibility to train them for His service. Yikes! But, again, God has promised to help. I pray for His presence to be near me, right next to me, as near as He can get(!) when I am dealing with situations, when I am talking with them, when I am loving on them! All the time!
In a sense, I was looking for a promotion. I was wanting a bigger work.
I have also discovered that I am expecting blessings from God. What am I doing that I should blessed? A true prayer I have prayed is, "God give us property, please." Selfish. Is my heart truly seeking to do God's work with this property I am expecting Him to give us? Honestly, no. I might be painting pretty pictures around it to make it look that way and tricking myself to believe it, but I can see myself receiving the gift and not doing my part. That pains me.
This morning I was reading in a little book that Dean Lou (Fitting) gave to Rob called Help in Daily Living by EGW. This is a spectacular book! On page 16 it says, "Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not." Jeremiah 45:5. The Lord has no place in His work for those who have a greater desire to win the crown than to bear the cross. He wants men who are more intent upon doing their duty than upon receiving their reward-men who are more solicitous for principle than for promotion.
So I need to focus on my duty, my kids!
Pg. 17: While the shepherds were watching their flocks on the hills of Bethlehem, angels from heaven visited them. So today while the humble worker for God is following His employment, angels of God stand by his, listening to his words, nothing the manner in which his work is done, to see if larger responsibilities may be entrusted to his hands.
Angels are next to me, watching how I perform with the responsibilities God has already given me. I pray that every moment, every second God will give me guidance and help to perform my duties in a way pleasing to Him. And let me tell you, my kids test my limits! Every reaction to them needs to be led by God. I cannot do it on my own. And I fail so often!
Pg 18,19 talks about Plans for the Future. A Christian life is a pilgrim life. It is not for us to shape our future. As we commit our ways to Him, he will direct our paths. God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. Let God plan for you. As a little child, trust to the guidance of Him who will "keep the feet of His saints." 1 Samuel 2:9
What a promise! But it is still hard to trust and wait.
At church this last week during praise and prayer request time, I had a request for prayer for direction when we are done here. After I said that, I realized I don't need direction. I need patience and faith! God knows where we will be going after this. He has a place in mind for us. He just hasn't let us know yet! So I need patience and faith for His timing. I still struggle with anxiety and uncertainty, so please pray for me! Faith and patience are hard things to acquire. Only with God's help.
I pray that this will bless you as it has me!
PS- I still want to travel! Short term mission trips would be great!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Double Blessings!
For the kids Sabbath School lessons, our teacher is using My Bible Lessons. It is wonderful! We have finally gotten into (almost, still working on it) a habit of using this for our morning and evening worships. Last night, we were talking about Zacharias and Elizabeth carefully training John, and teaching him about God, helping him to choose to do right, no matter what others said and also doing the work that God is calling us to.
We had a lovely little discussion about why it's important for Mommy's and Daddy's to carefully train their children. Why children need to obey and trust their parents. I told them that I discipline them so that they may learn to listen to me, but more importantly listen to God when He speaks to them. I want them to be able to listen and desire to do what God is calling them to do with their talents. And I want them to be happy with what they have here on earth, because if we aren't happy here, with the blessings God has given us, HOW will we be happy in heaven?
They were very receptive and seemed to be hearing what I was saying (with God's help on both ends!). We prayed that we (including myself) would be willing to receive instruction/direction from our elders and from God. Despite our parents shortcomings (I know I have many), may he still use us to lead our children to Him and that our children will see past those shortcomings and know that we love them and want to see them in heaven. The prayer was much deeper for me, and simpler for Brody and Jovie. I said "Amen.", got up and looked out the window and saw this:
We had a lovely little discussion about why it's important for Mommy's and Daddy's to carefully train their children. Why children need to obey and trust their parents. I told them that I discipline them so that they may learn to listen to me, but more importantly listen to God when He speaks to them. I want them to be able to listen and desire to do what God is calling them to do with their talents. And I want them to be happy with what they have here on earth, because if we aren't happy here, with the blessings God has given us, HOW will we be happy in heaven?
They were very receptive and seemed to be hearing what I was saying (with God's help on both ends!). We prayed that we (including myself) would be willing to receive instruction/direction from our elders and from God. Despite our parents shortcomings (I know I have many), may he still use us to lead our children to Him and that our children will see past those shortcomings and know that we love them and want to see them in heaven. The prayer was much deeper for me, and simpler for Brody and Jovie. I said "Amen.", got up and looked out the window and saw this:
You can faintly see a second rainbow on the outside of the first.
I was touched. The rainbow is a sign of God's promise. Yes, about the flood, but I think of it as any promise. I took this as a sign that He heard my prayer and He is here beside me, parenting with me. How could that not touch my heart?
I said, "Look! A double rainbow! That's like a double blessing!"
Brody asked, "What's a double blessing?"
I said, "That is as if God is saying, "I love you!" "I love you!!""
Brody replied to that with, "...whoa!!...!"
That's what I think too, "Whoa!!!"
Thank You Jesus for promising to be with us parents, even though we fall so short of You. You are still able to use us to bring our children to You. Continue to work on our hearts so we may love our children more and more and be able to show them Your love. Thank You!
More Photo Ops
There are always things that we wish we could capture in a picture. Here are some I was able to.
These are the things we are doing. The weather is still very cold/hot, wet/humid. For example, yesterday it was 95 degrees, today it is 70 and rainy. I don't mind it, but the plants in the garden do. They are not doing so great with all this dramatic change in the weather. But we keep praying and putting it in God's hands. After all, it is His garden and we are His workers!
The rainbow's end is in the trees!
No, we didn't look for the pot of gold. Maybe we should have! ;)
Who doesn't love a rainbow?
Contrast. God's promise in a dark world.
Jovie girl! Lots of stripes in this picture!
Walking to the farm. It's so green it's almost tropical!
The creek!
When it was flooded, the water was up to the grass in the corner of the picture.
We are blessed!
So pretty!
Come on Mommy!
Taking a little break. Smiles all around!
Our little Red-winged Blackbird chicks!
Their job was picking up rocks!
Somewhere out there is Rob and Sam picking strawberries in the rain.
All day they picked strawberries. Rob smelled so sweet when he got home!
Sage bundles I picked for the CSA boxes.
Isn't it pretty?
Another rainbow!
Hot day=creek time!
Jovie, Jocelyn and Emma at the creek.
These are the things we are doing. The weather is still very cold/hot, wet/humid. For example, yesterday it was 95 degrees, today it is 70 and rainy. I don't mind it, but the plants in the garden do. They are not doing so great with all this dramatic change in the weather. But we keep praying and putting it in God's hands. After all, it is His garden and we are His workers!
Dinosaurs!!!
This last Tuesday, Brody, Jovie, and I took a drive to somewhere in Eastern Wyoming, in the middle of no man's land to Southwestern Adventist University's Dino Dig site. Some friends of ours were out there and we went to see them, and of course see the dinosaur bones!!!
After following detailed directions a page long, we came to a barbed wire gate and went through it, making sure to close it behind us! We found the site! Our friend Janette showed us the quarry and we got to observe bone fragments and teeth being excavated. Pretty cool! Then Brody was offered the chance to dig! He took them right up on that and went to work. The pictures below are in a random order.
Yep! Brody found a triceratop tooth! Also some bone fragments here and there. He was picking up everything and asking the professionals what they were. "Hmmm...that looks like a rock." They were very kind and patient! We got to see them digging big bones out of the ground, but unfortunately I didn't have my camera! These pictures above are from Janette.
Of course it was one of the hottest days that they had. But it made for a nice nap time on the drive home! Not for me, of course, but I had a lovely quiet time! What a great experience we had, that I believe we will remember for a very long time!
Old time gas station! Notice the Pump First, Then Pay sign!
I didn't know anyone still did that!
Cool.
Driving to the middle of nowhere!
It's beautiful in the middle of nowhere!
Dirt/gravel road we drove on for 15+ miles.
It was really pretty.
Cool formations of sandstone (?).
Closer views. Aren't they cool?
Driving by them.
They look like mushrooms!
After following detailed directions a page long, we came to a barbed wire gate and went through it, making sure to close it behind us! We found the site! Our friend Janette showed us the quarry and we got to observe bone fragments and teeth being excavated. Pretty cool! Then Brody was offered the chance to dig! He took them right up on that and went to work. The pictures below are in a random order.
Look closely and you will see Brody's name as the excavator. He found this Triceratop Tooth!
Brody holding a T-Rex tooth our friend Janette Shepherd found. 9.5cm long!
Check it out!
Careful Brody!
Our little Dirt Girl
Jovie looking for bones.
Goofy face! Or proud? :)
Sweet little excavator!
Safety Goggles first!
One more cute picture of my archaeologist!
Yep! Brody found a triceratop tooth! Also some bone fragments here and there. He was picking up everything and asking the professionals what they were. "Hmmm...that looks like a rock." They were very kind and patient! We got to see them digging big bones out of the ground, but unfortunately I didn't have my camera! These pictures above are from Janette.
Of course it was one of the hottest days that they had. But it made for a nice nap time on the drive home! Not for me, of course, but I had a lovely quiet time! What a great experience we had, that I believe we will remember for a very long time!
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