The Joys of Sticking it Out

It's that time of year for Christmas plays and recitals. After months and weeks of practice the girls braved the stage for a Christmas play which they both performed in and Love debuted a new piece that she's been working on with the violin.

What I love most about seeing the girls up on the stage is reflecting back on how they've perservered. Perseverance is a character quality that is challenging to teach. The girls can read the definition of the word, they can read stories of characters that have remained committed to complete a difficult task, and I can lecture them with great compassion on what it means to perservere when the going gets tough. I can even share personal stories of how I have tried and failed at times to persevere as a child and as a adult. While all these methods may get the point across to a certain degree, there's a chance that their understanding on what it takes to perservere may end up just being head knowledge.

Perseverance is one of those character traits you just have to live and then learn.

When the excitement of performing Christmas songs wore off a few months ago and by the time Love had struggled through her violin piece for what seemed like the 53rd time and she was at the point where she would've rather get a root canal than pull out her violin to practice, the meaning of what it meant to persevere became real to them. They began to learn what it means to persist, to press on, and go the extra mile even though their fleshed yearned to do something else rather than practice. When you're working towards a goal, quitting can be a little tempting.

You know the feeling that you get when you're committed to exercising and you find the courage to climb on the treading mill and as you're walking or running hard your flesh screams out to you, "stop now, your flesh hurts, please stop now!". You know that exercise is good for you, but there's a part of you that always gets in the way of going the extra mile. It's hard to teach a young mind that in the face of adversity and difficulties, perseverance brings us to a place of rich blessings. As a parent we may want to rescue our kids when they're frustrated and take away their discomforts, but there is fruit even for a child to gain as they struggle a little and in the end see the blessings that come when they persevere.

Thankfulness.

I have so much to be thankful for and not just because the Thanksgiving holiday has just passed us by. It has seemed to pass by so quickly that this blog entry, which I started typing in November, has sat in my DRAFT box until December. Oh well. Better late than ever. It's my heart's desire to maintain a spirit of gratefulness and thankfulness everyday. Not just in the month of November. In the midst of "living", it can be challenging to sustain an upbeat spirit of thankfulness, but with God its possible.

I'm thankful for the gift of salvation, for my family, and the Lord's daily provision. I turned 35 just a few days before Thanksgiving. One of the enjoyments of being born around the Thanksgiving holiday is having the reminder to be thankful as I grow older.

I'm also thankful to report that progress continues to be made on our home. The second floor is shaping up as all the rooms have been framed up and the builder prepares to hang drywall. We've been having a lot of "quality family time" together in Lowe's and Home Depot as we've picked out appliances, fans, paint colors, etc. As this year draws to a close it is bittersweet to think back to my first blog entry back in November 2012 when I rambled about the thoughts and feelings stirring within. I knew then that God was driving me towards a change, but I didn't know how to get to the place where He was leading. In hindsight, I didn't need to know the details. He promises in His Word that what He begins in us, He will complete. As He works within us, changing us from one degree of grace to another, He desires that we surrender life to Him. To simply trust Him, no matter what life circumstances we find ourselves in.

 

~ One day at time, with thankful hearts, a submissive spirit, and praise always on our lips ~

 

Image Source

 

I've Got A New She-ro

Has there ever been someone who's life captures your heart in such a special way that its like your heart has been ensnared in a trap, but you're so captivated that you don't want to be let go? It may be words that a person may say, the way in which they live their life, or acts of faith so endearing that you're moved to action yourself.

A sweet Mommy friend and I were talking in the nursery at Church one Sunday to pass the time about what we've been reading. She shared with me a book that that she reads every Thanksgiving to ponder over God's grace and mercy during this time of the year.  I became a little inquisitive about one of the authors in this book, wondering what was it about this author that made her want to read her writing during the season of Thanksgiving. What was so special about this author's life that beckoned her heart to be more thankful?

Joni Eareckson Tada was the author that she spoke of and as she described this woman's life, her struggles, trials, and journey with Christ, my heart stirred to know more about her story. In the few weeks that followed, Joni was on my mind and I didn't know much about her. I just knew that I wanted to know more about her Christian walk. As I came to learn about Joni, I was captivated, enthralled really at how God has worked in Joni's life through trials and suffering.

Instead of trying to give my own synopsis of Joni's life, my hope is that this meager rambling of mine about my new she-ro will move you to dig into Joni's world a little. I promise you that one peak in and you'll never be the same. As I read Joni's book, "The Glorious Intruder", and her biography, "Joni: An Unforgettable Story", my heart broke to read of her suffering, yet I was awed by the Lord's orchestration of what she went through to draw her to Himself and to make Himself known not just to Joni, but to one person after another. After closing the pages of her biography and disposing of my tissues that I went through from reading it, I was... speechless for just a bit. As I let the words from both books soak in for a minute, the words came to my heart and mind.

What an awe-inspiring, amazing, & awesome God we serve

Family Christmas 2014 Photos Sneak Peek

While the stores seems to get a jump start on all things Christmas earlier and earlier each year, we decided to follow suit with early planning. We rounded the family up for some family pictures for our Christmas Card.

Here's a little sneak peek!

 

 

God's Riches At Christ Expense

Image Source

Over the past six weeks or so I’ve been studying about God’s grace in the study, “Lord, I Need Your Grace to Make it Today” by Kay Arthur. Up until taking this study I understood God’s grace to be, unmerited favor. Something I did not deserve. I considered this favor to show up as “the good things” in life that I experience from one day to the next. While this is true, as I’ve dug a little deeper I’m learning that grace is more complex than “good things happening”. It’s wider, deeper, and much more multifaceted than I could have ever imagined.

It’s God’s grace that sustains me every second, minute, and hour of the day. His grace shows up in my salvation in the forgiveness of sins when I didn't deserve it, sanctification as He changes me from one degree of grace to another, and preservation as He keeps me in a state of grace as His child. Grace is a powerful gift in that it enables us to withstand life's difficulties as God makes Himself known in us and through us. God's grace has covered a myriad of sins in my past and its depths cover every sin I will ever commit until I go home to be with the Lord in Heaven. Every day that I wake up and feel an ounce of hopelessness about my inabilities to do what is required of me as a wife and mother, I can count on God’s grace being sufficient. It will enable me to “survive” the day and then there will be more grace for the next day’s journey. Life and its struggles can be intimidating, but God’s grace is abundant, it’s enough, and its abounding for those that love and serve the Lord.

Image Source

According to Plan - House Day

It has been an adventurous couple of days with the house arriving yesterday afternoon and being set  today. The kids and I actually caught up with the house and the house escort as they travelled down the highway towards the house yesterday afternoon. We were speechless and filled with glee as the house came into view, on wheels. There were blinking lights and flags to escort the house, so it was not hard to miss it coming down the highway. As we followed the house towards our property, our excitement grew to finally see the house with our own eyes.

House Chasing

The workers got started when the sun came up, getting the crane in place and hooking the house up to be hoisted up and set on the basement.

Rear of the house being set on foundation

Front of house being set with dormers awaiting their turn

Roof being put into place

House all closed in, Shingles being applied

The process for our second home differs from our first house in that we're using a Builder to coordinate the majority of the house construction process. With our first home, we served as the sole Builder and had to schedule, coordinate, and sometimes even fill in for varying aspects of the process when necessary. While serving a your own "owner-builder" can save the homeowner a tremendous amount of money by cutting out the "middle man", the homeowner gets the headache that comes with the job of being overseer and project lead. There are no words to describe how grateful I am to have a Builder this time around as an overseer and coordinator. We are still responsible for portions of the overall process, but nothing nearly as large as the projects we had to fulfill in our first home. With a Builder that works on site to oversee the construction and the Master Builder guiding, leading, and providing for our needs, we are in Good Hands.

Acoording to Plan - House Arrival

We are praising the Lord for His provision and grace.

The house arrived safely after traveling over 300+ miles yesterday. 

I will be back to share pictures.