Foto Friday ~ Remind me...

I am going to miss these days! 

in about 8 years,

 I will have 6 teenage boys living under one roof, MINE!

 

Sometimes, the days can seem so long

 

BUT...

 

the years are going by SO VERY fast!

I will miss boys giggling and looking out of a bird watch area

pretending it is a hideout...

 Moments of seeing big brother and little sister enjoying watching the world go by

just because

nothing else is filling their time and that it is enough for the day

I love knowing that for now...

A hiking trail and the great outdoors is all we have to do

if we want to...

Yes.,.

I'm going to miss this someday!

 

God...

please help me to enjoy today and savor these sweet, precious times

and not hurry my days.

 

I know that it is YOU who has been so gracious to me and

to even fathom that you would trust me with all these beautiful gifts is to great for me to comprehend...

I know I fail and I gripe and complain sometimes because it is so hard to put "self" last and I have moments of wondering if I can do it another day! 

 

 Then I am rememeber you did it for me to the point of death

and it reminds me that I CAN'T do it alone you and you don't intend for me to!

 

I ask that you carry me when I can't take

one more spill,

 more bad attitudes,

 another load of laundry,

kids arguing AGAIN,

another meal to make

 and I could go on and on and on...

 but you gently remind me that you already know my short-comings

and love me anyway.

 

Remind me that there is nothing I can't do without you!

...Even raise 12 kids!

 

I thank you for all of these moments and I ask you to help me day in and moment by moment to appreciate these times because it all goes WAY to fast!

Someday I WILL miss this but remind me TODAY...

To thank you for the privilege of being a mom to all of these blessings and to savor their growing up and consider it a joy not a burden!

 

Amen! 

 

 

Promiseland...

Saturday, we entered 'Promiseland'...

AFTER all of the complaining!

Alllll morning I heard,

"When are we going to be there?

When we will leave?

Why is it taking so long?

How much longer?

I don't want to wait anymore!

What will we do when we get there?

I want to go NOW!"

I got a teesy weensy taste of what God went through hearing the Israelites complain all of those 40 years!

I went through it for about 3 hours and about lost my mind!

Our Promiseland was a bit different I am sure but we did have fun!

Our weekend consisted of lots of music, people sharing the true Word of God, and LOTS of fun!

We first started with a picnic...

Then we all grabbed a chair...

And watched the 3rd strongest man in the world,

AKA~ Big Bubba,

 blow up a hot water bottle with his OWN lungs

 and give an AMAZING testimony of what God has done in his life!

The kids LOVED riding this...

and climbing this!

We watched 'Big Bubba' play tug of war against 6 other guys

Firehouse Children's Ministry was there to share the love of Christ with the smallest of the crowd

And to cool off, there was a HUGE water slide

(I did take part but REFUSE to show pictures!)

I prefer that you all return to this blog!

There was more of this...

and this...

Then some singing and praising

 And more cooling off

(The dark clouds in the background, stayed there all day but never came towards us!)

There was also some of this by the little one

 After praising there was praying! 

I love seeing those little heads bowed talking to our Savior!

I enjoyed the scenery!

Those are lily pads in a pond all in bloom!

There was frisbee

and I'm not sure what they are looking at...

And LOTS of friends, fellowship and love!

The Promiseland Fest was an amazing time of seeing God's love pouring out and overflowing!

Many lives were touched and changed by the moving of the Holy Spirit!

Can't wait to do it again next year!

Full of...

Our summers are always full of activity!  Come to think of it, my LIFE is full of activity during every season!  But these are some things we plan on doing in the coming weeks:

• reading books for fun not to include reports!
• making meals for others with hectic lives
• playing outside for countless hours
• MANY baths daily!  (yes with 7 boys under 11, they require many daily!)
• annual church campmeeting  (our evangelist is Chris Owensby...Check out his websight here)
• joining in a prayer walk around our city to release the power of the Holy Spirit in our town
• swimming at Grandma's
• bible school
• having a neighborhood bible school in our yard
• playing at our local YMCA
• birthdays...always birthdays!
• playing at the park
• having a garage sale
• bonfires with hotdogs and s'mores
• continually, hopefully reaching our neighborhood for Christ!

God has placed us in a neighborhood that is so lost!  We have had the chance to minister through pray, giving our time and sometimes just a smile!  It has been amazing!!!  I wondered many times when we moved here, what God was up to!  I now realize even more, how desperate people are to hear and feel the love of Christ!  It is so exciting and humbling to be used to introduce Jesus to the lost!  My children are changed forever!  It has taught us not to judge other's because of how they dress, how much money they have or even attitudes they may have!  Everyone has a past and needs love and acceptence!  We have stepped out in faith and it has not been easy but God has shown us how people need His love!  He wants us to be His hands and feet! 

Will you help us spread the love of Christ where you live?  The world is dying spiritually and everyday that passes, is one day less that we have! 

Summer is filled with exciting things but the only thing that will last forever is a heart changed for eternity!  Give your summer to God and ask Him to lead you to the lost and watch what happens!

Please pray for us as we minister to our neighborhood!  God is doing amazing things!  We are so thankful for the opportunity we have been given!   

Puppy thanks

After a very trying week last week, this week has been trying also but in a different way.  In the past, I should know by now, that whenever I have had been bombarded and overwhelmed, there is something over the horizon God is preparing me for.

 Today, I woke up feeling heavy and just plain burdened.  For my children, my husband, and those around me who have no hope.  I have also been dealing with guilt from not being the mom my children have needed me to be.  Do they struggle because I have not effectively been who I needed to be?  Sometimes it really gets to me!  I know all about the stuff that we are not perfect and God steps in the gap and our children learn to know God and trust Him no matter what we do.  Yes, I believe ALL of that!  I will NEVER be perfect and God's grace will see me through but I also know there are times when I have just been lazy and disobedient and those are the times that get to me.  I lay in bed at night praying for God's hand to be upon them and show them how much I love them and Him!

Later in the day, I had an opportunity that came up to be Jesus hands and feet.  It came out of nowhere!  We are now living in a neighborhood that is so lost!  We have had the blessing of witnessing to others and showing God's love by just accepting people for who they are.  The people directly next door to us, have a very sad situation and they have been on our hearts.  We have brought them meals, and just talked with them.  They have a little deaf girl and my 13 year old is learning sign language so that has been HUGE for both of them!  (The mom does not know any sign language so it has been good for her also.)  A couple days ago, the grandparents who lived there, just moved out one night.  It seemed peculiar but we let it go.  For days they have not been around, until today.  I was excited to see her and said hello and asked her how things were going.  "Not well!" she said.  She continued to share her heart and circumstances with me.  It was a very sad story!  My heart broke.  I asked her if I could pray with her and she said, "Please, I need somebody to!"  I took her hand with me on one side of the fence and her the other, and prayed with her.  I looked up and the tears were streaming down her face.  It was a moment I will not forget.  This family has needs and I was so humbled to know that God placed me, today, to care for somebody and their soul!  What a privilege and joy!

I sit in my comfortable home, with food, blankets and love!  I have heard it for years, but I am in awe of how many people around me are hurting and crying out to be loved!  It is real!  God desires to use His own to be His hands and His feet.  How far am I willing to go?  Will I always respond in obedience or will I take the lazy way out and ignore those around me because it costs me to much?  Will I focus on my needs or will I give up everything so other's can see the love of Christ knowing that God will take care of me? 

I can't just let it go anymore!  I don't want to look away anymore and not do anything making excuses and hoping somebody else will step in.  I know what it is like to be on the "need" side of things and maybe this is the way God is allowing me to give back what He so freely and gracefully gave us!  What ever it is, I'm in!  Please look around you and ask God to share the needs of other's with you.  There are so many hurting people!  My hope, no matter how bad things get, is in Jesus!  There are some who have NO hope, so they think!  I want to show them who their hope is!

Just for a fun end of the story...later in the day, after helping our neighbors, they came over and offered us a token of their thanks.  An adorable...Puppy!

  No, I don't want one!  We just got rid of one and trying to get rid of another dog.  How do you say "no"?  They have no money but they thanked us with something they could make money from!!  The look in her eyes was so intense and she said, "My husband wants to thank you for all you have done for us so he wants to give you our last puppy for free!"  I respectfully told her I would have to ask my husband but we probably would not be able to keep him!  I felt like a heel!  I think I will let my husband handle this one! :)

To be continued... 

Sisters

Sisters are the BEST! I lost my only sister in a

car accident when I was 16 so I never get to

experience the joy that sisters bring!

Yes, there are times when it's not so rosy but the

fun and togetherness FAR outweigh the struggles!

I have watched them grow from playmates to best friends.

They encourage each other and frustrate each other

They share each other's clothes and their hearts too

A life-long bond that will not fade with

time

but deepen

A true treasure to hear them talk about

 the things of Christ and listen to them as

 they help each other learn the ropes

 of growing up

I never had this, but I get to WATCH it right before

my eyes!

The giggles, jokes, and realizing life together side by

 side is truly pricesless!

What a gift from God sister's are!

1st Birthday!

We know life can only get better with each new blessing we welcome into our home!

BUT...

We could have NEVER dreamed that it would get this good!!

This sweet girl has brought out a side to us that we never knew existed and a place in all of our hearts that has been revealed with

 PURE aweness (made up word, but it seems to fit)

We are so blessed to have been given this gift to love and enjoy!

We are truly thankful!

It's that simple!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE ONE!

You are the fruit of my womb and you ARE a reward!

We love you!

Month in review With Pictures

This is what the kitchen in the home we are living in looked like BEFORE we moved in...

No pictures of the living room before but here is the after 

 We are now settled in and enjoying it so much

This is the after...

It was a TOTAL reconstruction!

 Birthday's were celebrated

 First-time piggie tails

 Big brother shares his hat

 Big sister shares her lap

 Unusually warm winter hike

playtime with trains

puppy is weary after keeping up with all the boys

Reading books

One more Baby and puppy picture

I could not resist!

It has been a month of transitions in so many ways!

We have been stretched and pulled in so many ways.

We are learning to continually lean on the Everlasting arms of our loving Savior!

More focusing on day to day and learning what our new normal might be.

Not sure what that is yet, and if there even is a "normal" but we will be sure to allow God's plan for our lives be fullfilled!  I don't want it any other way!

We are reminded that He who has begun a good work in us, will be faithful to complete it!