Getting Ready for School

We are gearing up for school to start (August 13th, Lord willing). I'll be taking a break from blogging until after Labor day. I'll probably still check friends blogs on the weekends, but I don't think I'll be writing anything until after we get a good start. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Oh How I Love Jesus

Kim tagged me with a wonderful meme, to write out 5 reasons that I love Jesus.

He is...

Creator- With all the fruit and flowers growing in abundance at my house right now, this aspect of Jesus came to mind first! His creation is amazing. I'm so glad that he gave us so many different kinds of plants, animals and people. And being created in His image, he's made us creative too. I can't wait to see what Heaven is like!

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Friend- This past year God has allowed me to go through a valley of sorts. I didn't really have any close friends. Now, I'm not complaining; I had my health, family and a few faithful friends who live very far away. But the day, to day, live life with you, bear your burdens, laugh with you, cry with you, give you a hug when you need it kind of friends were gone. The reasons why are for a different post altogether. But God allowed me to be striped of something good so I would learn to depend on Him alone. Even though it was hard, I learned He is a faithful friend.

He has restored to me a growing circle of friends through our new church and school group and gave me a surprise of friends through blogging as well! I hope that learning to have Jesus be my best and first friend will make me a better friend to the earthly ones He's given me now.

John 15:14-15 "You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

Sovereign- I have been learning so much about God's sovereignty in the last year or two. It is so comforting to know that He is in control!

1 Timothy 6:15 "our Lord Jesus Christ, ... he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen."



Preparer- Knowing that Jesus is preparing a place for me gives me such a different perspective. I remember John Piper once talking about enjoying a walk in winter. He realized that he had never had a winter vacation, cozy in a cabin, reading lots of good books next to a fire and his family and thought that would be a lovely idea. But, he also thought, it can wait. Yes, it would be nice, and there is nothing wrong with vacations, but even if he never got to have it, heaven will be so much more glorious than the best vacation ever taken on earth, he could wait.

John 14: 2-3 "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

1 Corinthians 2:9 “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”

Rest - In this season of life I am not as physically weary as when I've had newborns and little sleep. But I find myself emotionally (and sometimes physically) weary from the many roles I have with wife, mother, instructor, housekeeper, cook, etc. I find myself needing to come sit at Jesus feet to give me strength to do what I need to do. Again John Piper says in When I Don't Desire God:

"The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart... We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer."

Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."


I tag:
Alicia
Kristen

Leigh

Johanna

Jess

Movin' On Up

Evan and Amy just got promoted up a belt in Karate. This has been a very good experience for the kids, promoting discipline and physical fitness. We have been pleased with the instructors at this dojo.

Amy waiting at the beginning of class. These are all pictures of the belt promotion ceremony.

Amy is getting her new belt- White with a Yellow Stripe.

Evan has been taking lessons longer and has moved from an orange belt to a blue belt. One of his Sensei is handing him his new belt and his promotional certificate.

Our Karate Kids!

This is Evan's goal. To become a black belt.

Visit with Noah and Johanna

We had a great visit with my sister and her baby Noah this week. I thought Emily was going to get upset with me holding Noah. She's done that when I've held other babies recently (she's in a very clingy stage!). But she got upset when it wasn't her turn to hold Noah! She just loved him.

Amy, of course, was a great helper and enjoyed her cousin a lot too. I don't have a picture of Evan with Noah because when I was taking these pictures (unfortunately, the only time I had my camera out) Evan was helping my sister carry in her luggage and baby stuff.

A Story of God's Goodness

Twelve years ago today Sean and I were married. It was a sweltering 115 degrees outside. (Praise God for air-conditioning!)

For those of you who missed it last year on GirlTalk, during the bookclub discussion, here is the story of how we met.



Just like Ruth, the story of how God brought my husband into my life started out with difficult circumstances. I was starting my fourth year of college, helping to organize Bible Studies for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. During an event designed to reach out to students, a young man handed me a love letter saying that "God had told him that I was the one he was to marry". It turned out that this man was not a student, but a homeless schizophrenic man who now knew my address, since one of the Bible Studies was at my apartment. Over the next few weeks he dropped off letters at my doorstep, in the middle of the night, that became increasingly obscene and threatening. I decided to call the police.

I was advised to get a restraining order and not walk alone. God met my needs abundantly. My roommate's father was a lawyer and filed the paperwork for me free of charge. Twelve other believers lived next door, underneath or across from me in our apartment complex. They took turns walking with me to class and going to the police station with me to drop off more letters as they came. At one point three young men slept on my living room floor with baseball bats "just in case". During finals' week when my friends were busier and my life was more stressful, my dad took a week off of work and came to be with me.

During this time I met three police officers who were handling my case. I would find out later that all three were godly Christian men. Two were my fathers age and viewed me as a daughter in Christ. One was a good looking single guy. He ended up being the one who came and arrested the man who was stalking me.

Over the summer break, the stalker was released from jail. I ended up having several conversations with the young police officer about it all. Each conversation would start out "Hello Officer" and end with "Good-Bye Sean". By the time I returned to school, at a different address, the homeless man had written me one last letter saying that "God had told him to move on". The return address was in another state. The case was closed. Sean helped me move into my new apartment and took me out to dinner, our first date. We were married 10 months later.

Last year when I was talking to my son about Romans 8:28 he looked at me and said, "Mommy, that's just like how you and Daddy met! God used it for good!" Amen to that. He sure did!

I Love You Sean!!!

Here's to many more great years together. Thanks for being my "Knight in Shining Armor"!

Summer Fun!

We've got fruit galore this year and it all ripened at the same time! I'm busy, busy picking and making jam this week!

And The Winner Is.......

Margie!!!

I'm long overdue to give you a call and set up something for the girls. Now we have one more reason to get together! Congratulations!

Thanks to all of you for entering and making this fun! I'm on a cleaning and purging spree. The homeschool closet is next and we're going to have a garage sale next week. So maybe I'll find another good give-away. Is anyone looking for any curriculum in particular? You never know, I just may have it and not need it anymore.

"Win-a-Book" Week

It's official! Fishmama even made a button for it! If you have a book to give away let her know and she'll keep a list of who's giving what away. Sounds fun, huh?!

Win Another Book!

My friend Jessica is having a book drawing too! Check out her blog at Fishkids.

She also had a great idea and apparently the guys over at Desiring God thought so too. So do you have a good book or two that is a double that you'd like to give away? "Win a Book Week" sounds great to me!