SNOW!!

I couldn't take it anymore.  My little dog needed to go outside, and as I stepped out onto our deck, I saw it again - over 1 foot of snow covering our back deck.

We don't get a lot of snow here in Pennsylvania.  But this winter has been different.  We have had record amounts of snowfall, record low temperatures, and so many school closings & delays my kids will be going to school until July (well at least it feels that way!)

So snow removal has become a weekly chore at my house.  Unfortunately, because we don't use the back deck, it has remained snow covered for a few weeks.

But not anymore.

I knew the snow would be heavy.  I knew there would be a layer of ice somewhere buried among the foot of snow.  I knew it wouldn't be easy.  But I just couldn't take it anymore.

I began to clear a pathway so I could walk all the way around.  Then I began to remove from the top to bottom, beginning with the table, going to the chairs, and finally the deck itself. (Note to self for next winter, move all the deck furniture under the overhang so it doesn't get covered in snow).  As I removed the snow, I could see the wood deck peek thru the layers of snow & ice.  I felt like I removed 1,000 pounds of snow.  It was silly, but I felt like the deck sighed a sigh of relief!  It could breathe again!  It could see the sunlight again!  It didn't take long for the fine layer of ice at the bottom of all the snow to melt away.

It made me think of spring.  We will be so happy for spring, here in my small town!  We are all fed up with snow at this point!

My memories took me back in time.  I went back to the fall when I prayed to God that we'd get lots of snow this winter.  I love snow!  I definitely have had my fill this year!  I went back to my childhood - I went back to playing with my sisters & brother in the snow, building snow forts, snowball fights, and finally coming inside after we couldn't feel our legs anymore.  It was a good memory.

Removing the snow also gave me some time to think & be by myself!  Which was a nice break from my day!

Well it's Valentine's Day - and I have my husband all to myself!  BYE!

Back to School, already?

Lots of anxiety fills my mind as I think about my own 4 kids going to school in about 3 weeks.  My “baby” goes off to Kindergarten this year. My wild child heads to FULL day first grade.  My oldest goes off to MIDDLE SCHOOL!  The only one who doesn’t have me breathing into a paper bag is Jaden going off to 4th grade. So much transition, many new schedules, and lots of unknowns have my head spinning!

This week, I was reminded how important prayer is.  Prayer has made all the difference in my own life.  And I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t pray deliberate prayers over my children very often.  I pray the bedtime prayers with them, but they’re pretty generic.

This week I sat down with my kids and asked them what is making them nervous about going back to school.  I wrote down everything they said and we posted it in our home.  The next few weeks before school starts, we will be praying over those things & asking God to help ease our anxiety.  (I didn’t tell them that I was just as nervous as they are to go back to school!)

Remember to pray over your kids as they go back to school. Just as important as praying over them – pray over their school, their bus drivers, their principal, their teachers!  I always give kuddos to the teachers, who manage full classrooms of kids ALL DAY LONG, not only keeping them under control, but TEACHING them things I never could!  I can barely manage 4 of my own kids some days!  Seriously, pray for your kids schools!

Here’s something you can pray for your kids as they head into school this year:

Dear God, Thank You for the blessing of my child(ren). Pour your Love out onto my child(ren) and breathe new life into their spirits. Let them experience You in their own special way and know You are real! Only you can reach their hearts & know their thoughts.  Pour out your Peace on them as they enter this school year. Calm all their fears.

I know You have planned out every day of their lives and Your plan for their lives is far better than I can imagine!  You know every experience they will have this school year (and every year for the rest of their lives!)  I ask You to enter EVERY moment they walk through and let them know You are there! I ask You to give them peaceful rest, focus to complete their work, respect for their teachers, and wisdom to choose good friends.

I pray blessing over the principal, over the teachers, and over the staff people in my child’s school.  I pray they will experience a refreshed purpose for their jobs.  I pray for Your Presence to follow my child through the hallways of that school building and permeate the atmosphere.

I thank you God for the many blessings You have given me. And for Your continued walk with me, even when I don’t stay on the path.  Let the blessings of my life pass down to my children and to my children’s children.  Let your Presence always be with them.ALWAYS.

In Jesus name, Amen

What is your Journey?

Life is full of journey's.

Some journeys we really wish we hadn't taken.  We came to a crossroads in our life and we had a choice to make.  Those foolish journey's are the ones that we regret.  For myself, I took some wrong paths, knowing the right path to choose, but I had to learn the hard way.  I was curious and wanted to see what would happen if I took it anyway.  Foolish journey!

Others are much more worthwhile.  We might not even know the greatness that awaits at the end of that journey until it is over.  We can look back on our path and realize the changes we see in our lives because we chose wisely.  Those are the fun journeys! The ones we enjoyed!

There are hard journeys too.  Ones that are hard not because of our choosing - loss, pain, grief all come with those journeys.  Those are kinda like a free fall.  We don't have as much control over those journeys, as we might have over those we choose. 

But the journey's don't end.  We have to keep growing.  We will have to keep choosing.  We have to keep moving through them.  We still have some maturing to do (as much as we might think we don't).  Some days, I wish the journey was over and I could just live a comfortable life from now on!  Easy. Comfortable. Soft. Light.  No bumps. No pain. No hurt.  I know I will not always want to choose the hardest journey.  I pray by God's grace I choose which path He has for me.

I am thankful for all the paths my life has taken which bring me to this very place in my life.  Yes, I'm even grateful for the hard journeys, the unwise journeys.  They brought me maturity and growth too.  Maybe not in a good way, but a harder way!  God made those journey's work for my good.  He used those wrong decisions and hard walks to show me His grace, His mercy and His forgiveness. 

And that is the point of our lives.  That is definitely the point of my life.  God makes it work for me!  Just as He always has, drawing me into His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  He is the author and perfector!  He sent His son because I can't do it!

So I will continue to walk, to choose, and to accept Him as my Savior, as my author, and as my perfector.

Francis Chan

This really spoke to my heart this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=fHvDQQnRva4&feature=endscreen

Mama Mia!

Goodness! Parenting is the hardest job that I have ever had ...... and it doesn't pay a penny!  I know what I'm supposed to type next is, but it pays in many other more rewarding ways - right?  Lately, it hasn't felt that way.  Lately, it's felt like a never ending exhausting uphill run.  And it leaves me exhausted and wanting to just crash into bed at night with HGTV on and relax!

Isn't it ironic that the very thing I need God MOST for (being a good Mom), I can push him aside the most when it's exhausting and tiring.  When I need Him to fill me with patience, grace, mercy, and never ending Love, those are the times that I don't turn to Him for it.  Thank goodness He's not the same parent I am :)

Seeking God today!

Awakenings

I have gone thru a season in my life that's been dull. Every morning feels like a cloudy, rainy day instead of warm sunshiney day. I have been trudging along, just surviving life trying to be a support to my husband and EVERYTHING to my 4 kids. No passion, no emotion (except anger, man why can't I shake that one?), no joy.

It's been lonely at times.  My hubby and I haven't really connected in some time.  My friends have been sick or schedules within our own families does not allow us to get together. 

But this past week, I feel an awakening in my soul!  For whatever reason (maybe because I don't listen well or because the stage of life I'm in keeps me busy constantly), God usually speaks to me thru others words - blogs, podcasts, books, etc.  I'll hear a podcast, or read a blog and feel God's presence, drawing me in, telling me, "I've missed you, come back to ME! Spend time with ME!"  And I'll remember what an amazing God I serve.  I'll remember that time with HIM is priceless.  It's life-giving! How quickly I forget how much I need HIM. 

I'm glad He's reminding me this week that He's still there.  That He still loves me.  He's reminding me how desperately I need HIM.

It sure makes life a lot more meaningful :)

Peace

We have the most amazing backyard.  It is full of life - deer, turkeys, hawks, owls, every kind of bird you can imagine.  A cat wonders thru occasionally.  It is just what I need after a busy day - to sit outside on our back deck and just be at peace.

 It is where I hear from God.  He is always there.  It is me who does not always slow down enough to feel His Prescence and listen to Him.

At church this morning, my husband read Matthew 6:6 (Message version) -  Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

I'm so grateful that I have that space in the back yard where I can do this.  It's so true, I sense His grace every time I slow down, find that quiet place and just be there as honestly as I can.  Sometimes it feels really heavy, burdened with the days events.  Sometimes it feels sad, sometimes elated, sometimes angry. 

Last night, it just WAS.  There were no words, but He was there.  There were no overwhelming feelings (except peace), just Him.  It was as if we just sat and watched the evening activities of all the wildlife in the backyard. It was amazing!

I am so grateful for that peace today!