Production week...

Production week has kicked off and our household will be a flurry of activity!! We are all very excited and I can't wait to see productions this weekend.. but I am asking for your prayers as we won't have much time to breath... pray for peace, kids to remember their lines, lighting, stage crew, hair & makeup crew, and Michael as he directs and fine tunes.. and pray that God will be glorified! We remember that we are performing for an audience of One! :) Thanks!

P.S. and pray I get the job at Von Maur! I really want it. :)

Heart of Worship?

I am struggling with this "heart of worship" right now. As I wrote the title of this blog the reality of what it should look like and what my heart actually looks like..well, it's not really reflecting that sentiment. I want to worship, I desire to worship... but I am a bit afraid of all the tears that will come when I take off the mask and really worship. It's not that I'm sad.. I'm not, I'm just in a place where my heart is soft..softer then it's been in good while. God is working on me, He's bringing me to places that are growing me, chiseling me, and really showing me just how much I need to let go of... It's not a process that's all that fun! Trusting that everything will be better is hard...when I feel like I am not sure how much more I can let go of... I like holding on to "my ways" and "my plans" it's hard when I feel like letting go is just too hard & too painful. Also, this whole waiting thing... ugh, it's like the worst thing in the world! I HATE waiting... so, yeah... guess who's having to wait for lots and lots of things right now? Apparently that's another thing I gotta let go of and work on... some days it feels like I am whittled down from a Sequoya tree to a toothpick and I am wondering how much more needs to be refined??... but that's a dangerous question!

Thankful Morning

I had the most wonderful morning! Morning routine goes something like this; Alarm goes off at 6:30 AM, hit snooze until at least 6:45, get outta bed, make sure kids are up and getting ready, which this morning both were up and Caleb was studying. Pack school lunches for both kids (they don't serve hot lunch at their school), make sure the kids have something for breakfast, Faith wanted me to do her hair, so I did a really cool braid, get dressed, and out the door. The wonderful part happens now... we go outside and it smells like someone baked cookies.. the whole neighborhood smells AWESOME! We are all a little perplexed by where the smell is coming from.. but linger outside our car to appreciate it! And then guess what? I have frost on my windows.. first scrape-able frost cover of the season.. excited.. frost and cookies.. loving the cold morning and to top it off it smelled like cookies! :)

Parenting with laughter!

I get such a kick out of the funny things people say, however, it's not always as humorous when it's you saying the blunder, okay I lied, I laugh harder sometimes when it's me saying the blunder. What can I say? I crack myself up sometimes! :)

Our dinner table is usually filled with lots of funny conversations and usually our sarcasm about certain situations happening in our life become comic relief. I grew up in a family where humor was often found at the dinner table as well. My brothers still talk about the time when my family was talking politics and I was about nine and I was growing agitated that the conversation didn't include me and I very loudly asked, "Who the HELL is Bork?" The table erupted in laughter, except for my father who didn't appreciate my colorful question. Needless to say, we have our favorite quotes from our dinner table as well.

I found a really great quote about parenting and it reminded me of the importance of the attitude I am showing my children. Grateful for the laughter that is shared in our home!

"The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are."

-Jim Henson

So what will your children remember? I hope my children will have many quotable moments that they can laugh about and remember fondly! Even in the seasons of our life when things are stressful, remember that your attitude matters!

Thankful Thursday

Welcome Friends! It's Thursday and I am taking a moment to stop and list what's happening in my life that I am thankful for. (In no particular order... just random placement on list)

1. Humor- without it I'd never get through the day!

2. Friends with kindred spirits- you know who you are and without you....I don't even want to think about that!

3. New opportunities - I love knowing that there's new things on the horizon...

4. Freedom - what a blessing it is to be free in the Lord and live in a country with this same blessing!

5. Prayer - it sustains me.

6. Coffee - yeah, it made the list!

7. Caleb & Faith - being a mom rocks!

8. Michael - he is my soul mate & forever

9. Football Season - it's just the best!

10. Family - it's true, life begins and ends with them

Enjoy the blessings in your life... take a moment to stop and thank Jesus for all He's done for you... stop complaining and start rejoicing in the little things! :)

"Everything Good"- Ashes Remain!

I feel like this is the soundtrack to my life right now.

Story Behind Song:

Journeying

I walked into missions not really knowing a whole lot about mission agencies, I hadn't grow up a missionary kid, I didn't attend a church growing up that exposed me a whole lot to the world of international missions, I only knew one missionary as a child and what I knew didn't make me want to jump up and be one, as a young married I attended a Lutheran church that's main mission focus was internal missions (city missions), then we changed churches and were blessed to see the vision of missions through the Berean Church.. it changed our life (literally). I am thankful for our exposure to missions, we've met some incredible missionaries, people who have impacted my life and who's journey to the field has been inspiring! This whole experience has stretched me, grown my faith in Jesus, exposed me to a greater understanding of how God really does provide your every need. Financially it has grown us and stretched us, living on support is something that most people never get to experience, and I am grateful beyond words to our supporters.. this journey has been hard, but so worth it. I am pausing to thank God for His tender mercies, for his graciousness of putting some amazing family & friends in our life to walk with us, and our supporters who love us and support the path that God has placed us on. It's been hard, it's been amazing, and I know that God's working.... excited to see all that He's got in store! Thank you for journeying with me, reading my thoughts, & keeping us in your prayers...

Sweet moments of a wonderful life~

In this moment of sitting on my couch writing out my journey I am remembering the sweet moments of yesterday. As a family we went to a park and the boys fished, Faith and I took pictures, spent time collecting pine cones, laughed, threw rocks in the lake, and spent time chatting about life. I am thankful for my children, blessed that God would choose me to parent such amazing kids! Thank you Lord for allowing me to be a mommy, giving my heart such a deep joy about watching them grow up and thank you for giving me a husband who is an awesome daddy! My heart cherishes all the days that I got to be a stay at home mom and sit on the floor and read books all morning, play pretend, play in the park, snuggle, and watch countless hours of Blue's Clues.... and now as my kids are growing into these fabulous teenagers, I am grateful for their sense of humor, watching them act, sing, play instruments, hearing about classes, friends, life away from home... I am so blessed.