Good Friends

I am so excited!!!! I am heading to Louisiana to be with four of the best friends in the world...I will report back when I get back!!

He's in her heart

This weekend I got to see Christ alive in my little girls' heart. That is not to say that I can't see Him when I watch her breathing as she sleeps or in her laughter and love, but I got to see Him working self-control and conviction in her life.

As I stated in an earlier post, the kids and I have decided to give up sweets for Lent. Well, that isn't too hard to do when Mom doesn't offer sweets, but it does become more difficult at a birthday party.

Hallie went to a delightful tea party with her good friend, Meg. As the girls sat down for the tea party Hallie checked out the table of sweet treats that were going to be offered. She came quietly but tearfully to me in the kitchen and said, "Mommy, I don't know what to do. I am embarrassed to sit with them and not eat a dessert. What do I do?"

I told her I couldn't tell her what to do, but asked her what she thought she wanted to do. She told me she would just stay in the kitchen while they had the tea party.

Bless her heart! She never once mentioned the idea of eating a sweet or making an exception because it was a birthday party. She knew the sacrifice was for Jesus and as hard as it was she was going to stick with what she knew was right because she loves Jesus!

I've got to think that obedience to the Holy Spirit's leading at age seven will help her follow him when decisions get harder and harder as she grows up. I praise Jesus that He loves her, leads her and prompts her to obedience. I am certain it will serve her well!

**Fortunately, Meg's mom saw the tears and asked if she could help after Hallie had made the decision to stay in the kitchen. We told her our predicament and she made wonderful peanut butter heart shaped sandwiches to serve at the table so Hallie could sit with the girls and eat. Hallie joined her friends and very politely said, "I'll pass" when offered the sweets.***

Skiing, Thanks, the start of Lent...

...in other words, this is a random blog!

The most important first.

Lord, thank you for...

211. Seeing You in the mountains

212. Watching my kids ski down one of Your mountains

213. Time spent playing games and laughing with my family

214. Watching my sister be a great mom

215. My mom's listening ears

216. My dad's ski lift wisdom

217. Safety as we drove snowy mountain roads

218. Joy in being home...my home is a peaceful place

219. A trip to the library and watching the boys "read" new books all the way home

220. Hallie's smile when she got invited for a play date

221. A chance to be God's witness at work

222. Watching Hallie meet a new friend at dance class and seeing her graceful arms during ballet

223. The opportunity to help a friend in need

224. A messy kitchen...we have been busy living here lately

225. Grammy and Grandpa's house...dinner on Thursday nights...the comfort of being in their home, it's like walking into a big hug when we walk in.

Our start to the Lenten season...
First of all, I need to give a shout out to all my Catholic friends. I love the way that faith's traditions remind and prepare hearts for the celebration of Easter.

Yesterday we talked about the people we saw with ashes on their foreheads. I explained to the kids how God made us from dust, how we are sinners and then we talked about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. That led to our decision to give up all sweets (cake, candy, cookies, donuts...) until Easter as a way to sacrifice something for God. I was so happy that all the kids seemed to be excited about the idea of giving something up because, "God is more important than sweets."

Tonight Zac was asking if we could give up something else because he really wanted ice cream at Grammy's house. :)

I also got a great idea of Ann Voskamp. We are going to make a confessions box this weekend and leave it by the prayer chair. Over the next forty days we will confess our sins on paper and put it in the box(pictures or words). On Easter we will celebrate by soaking the box in water, because Jesus washes our sins away (Hallie really liked this idea) and then throwing the box away to celebrate Jesus forgiving our sins and casting them away forever.

I am looking forward to preparing my heart and helping to prepare my kids' hearts for celebrating the Lord's death and resurrection.


OK, last but not least...Ski pictures

To Be Known

I missed my Valentine's Day post because we were in Colorado skiing with my family...more on that later!

I wanted to write about how much I adore my husband. A few weeks back I was singing at church as part of the Worship Team and Ryan was sitting in the congregation. After the service he blessed me with words that my heart, mind and soul will forever treasure.

He told me that I was beautiful and that he loved hearing my voice sing. Then, he said that as I was sitting on the stage between songs he looked at me and felt like he was looking at himself in the mirror. At first I did not understand exactly what he meant but he went on to explain that as he looked at my face it was like he knew it as well or better than his own. And, it went deeper than that. He knows everything about me, on the outside and the inside.

How life-giving it is to be fully known and still loved.

On days when I neglect to remember who I am in Christ...

I look in the mirror I see wrinkles forming, eyelids sagging, beauty fading...but he still calls me beautiful.

I hear a voice that is losing it's appeal...he hears a heart more in love with Jesus than ever before.

My dear husband knows me, sees my failure and chooses to love me like Christ, unconditionally. We are not a perfect couple, but I am so thankful that God gave me this man to love and to be loved by.

Sweet and Funny Stories

Sweet...
Today I put Zac down for a nap and after we read a story he said, "Mommy, put your arm around me." Then he took my arm and tucked it around his tummy and snuggled up close. After a few moments he said, "Mommy, I love you." Then, he turned his head and drifted off to sleep. So Sweet!

Funny...
Yesterday Hallie and Zac were sitting in the Target cart kicking each other. They actually were having fun doing this so I didn't pay much attention (happy, kicking kids are better then whiney, arguing kids). Well, I took a Hallie out of the cart to go to the restroom and she said, "Mom, Zac kicked me in the pee-pee and it didn't even hurt."

I said, "Well, Hallie. Don't kick Zac in his weiner, because boys can get really hurt badly."
Hallie says, "What will happen?"
I say, "If he gets kicked too hard he might not be able to have kids someday." (WHAT WAS I THINKING!)
She says, "Mom, he is a boy. He can't have babies, right?"
I say, "Uhh, yeah, well anyway blah, blah, blah..."
Close call! I am not yet ready to have THAT talk just yet!

Answered Prayer

So last week was a challenge, but in one short week God has blessed me with peace in the midst of uncertainty and I am so very grateful. I don't want to miss the opportunity to write about answered prayer so here goes.

As I wrote last week I was burdened. I was feeling betrayed and deceived. I did not know what to do or how to respond so I took my concern to the Lord. In one short week he answered my prayers through wise counsel from trusted Christ followers, sermons I heard but most importantly he answered me directly from His Word. How can I deny that God speaks to me when he guides me to just the right scripture. Oh, that He cares enough about my situation when there are hurting, lonely, starving needy people in Haiti and around the world. That he would care enough to see me and hear me gives me a glimpse into His power and His love. He is so good!

So, where did he take me. He took me to the Beatitudes and reminded me to have mercy and compassion on those that sin because they are hurting people. He reminded me in Matthew 5:13 that I am called to be salt and light. If I do not stand for truth when it is difficult then what good is really in me. He reminded me that I am not to cast a stone of judgment on anyone, because I too am not without sin. He also guided me to Psalm 26 and 27...exactly what I needed to hear.

The point...

God was so faithful to guide me down a righteous path, even when my feet faltered and started to get off track. The end result was that I was able to lovingly confront and speak truth and now I don't feel like I am carrying the weight of the burden any longer. Thank you Lord!

To top it all off my husband surprised me kind words, a warm hug and these...


"I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13

Getting ready for Valentines Day

Hallie and I got to spend time together at school today making her Valentine box for next week's Valentine party. Her radio box was "a hit!" I LOVE that I can spend those special times with my daughter at her school. Fun, fun, fun!

Pudding Project

It's still cold in NE so I borrowed a great idea from my Aunt for an indoor activity...pudding finger painting. It was a hit with the boys. I even managed to make it educational because we practiced writing the alphabet and drawing shapes in the pudding.