That's the plan...

When my husband and I moved our family from Colorado to Florida this past January, we had plans for returning for the remainder of our things, plans for coming back to Colorado to visit family and friends and plans for me to attend my sister's college graduation.  Things that WE plan, don't always go accordingly...
Feeling oh, so homesick today...missing my kids, missing my sis, incredibly disappointed that I'll be missing her graduation from college!!!  I want coffee, I want chocolate, but neither of those things will fill the empty place I have in my heart...Someone told me I'm the rock in my family, but today I feel more like a melting iceberg, slowly losing sight of what I used to be...
The only thing that can sustain me and bring me back is the never ending, never ceasing love of the Lord for me.  HIS plans for my life are far better than I could ever imagine, think or hope and HIS ways are better than my ways by far ANY day!  It's these times that we need to draw near not only to the Lord but to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  For they are our strength and support in our times of need.  God puts people in our lives for a reason, as season or a lifetime...He put them there for us to lean on when we lacked the strength ourselves and when He knew we would need them to make it through trying times.  Do not forsake the assembling of my people, He says.  We NEED fellowship and we NEED to be with other Christians to get through trials and tough times. 
Don't be afraid to reach out to those people God has put in your life...He knew you would need them one day and HE planned for it!!!

Thanksgiving...

Today, our pastor asked the congregation what we were thankful for, and he was met with a variety of answers.  The interesting thing was that while everyone thought about family, friends, homes, food, God's provision and a few material things, nearly everyone asked failed to mention being thankful for Jesus!  I must admit, I was in that group who didn't give it a thought!!  I love the Lord with all my heart, I desire to do His will in my life and go where He leads me, but I caught myself taking for granted the sacrifice of Jesus' death on the cross, His love for me, His provision for me and most of all my own salvation in Him!
This week, as you sit around the table or stroll around the block for a family walk, search your heart and see what things you might unknowingly be taking for granted.  Then give thanks for those things...the Scriptures say:  Give THANKS with a grateful heart...give THANKS to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever...give THANKS in all circumstances for this is the will of God for you!
I am thankful for all my sisters and brothers in Jesus and for the ability to FREELY share the Word of God with others...I am thankful for the ability to speak and for the Lord giving me a spirit of power, of love and of sound mind to boldly tell others of the love of God for them!!
Have a BLESSED and THANKFUL holiday!!!!

Remember, it's all an illusion...

Before I begin this blog post, I must apologize for not posting for the past TEN DAYS!  (WOW!  How did that happen?) 

Simply put, I'm the super mom ILLUSION!  I'm not better than another mom; I can't produce things with any greater ease than another mom; I don't remember everything all the time (contrary to what my family believes!) and sometimes, life gets in the way of MY plans.  It is all an illusion that I can pull off so many things: work, homeschooling, my own schooling, running my household, keeping my children in line, etc.  There are many workers and assistants in my day such as my husband and my older children, who help make my job easier.  Just as a church is not run solely by the pastor or a corporation is run by just the president, so my household is not run by this mom alone!  Because I work at night, it has been a great blessing to see my husband and oldest son and daughter making the meals for the family.  Some may argue that as the mother and wife this is my job.  But I would pose this question:  Isn't the end result teaching my kids to serve others, possibly even beginning at home?  If they serve their siblings, how much more will they know how to serve others in the world?  And how much more willing to be a servant of the Lord?  This is preparing them for servitude and is a great character trait to possess.

Second Timothy 2:24 says, "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful."  As a homeschooling mom, this is just one more lesson my children are being taught and it is a practical life-lesson that will shape who they are in the Lord.  So while I am not the "Super Mom" many think I am because of the number of children my husband and I have or that we homeschool, I always keep straight the fact that this is not a solo act and there are MANY performers helping to pull off the production of our family!!               Be blessed!!!

Pushing kids out the door or holding on tight to keep them home?

A friend recently commented on Facebook that he is packing up one of his kids, getting ready for that son to go out into the world.  He's both excited and nervous and this is my comment back to him:


As the mother of 8 kids, three of which ARE out in the world, I can reassure you, IT NEVER GETS EASY!  I know, you're thinking, "Great!  Way to encourage a dad!" But the thing is, if it were easy, there would be a question of our love for our kids...I mean, that's a piece of you leaving for the first time!  There will be a sort of grieving that occurs and that's okay! 
When my oldest son went to Boot Camp in the Navy, we couldn't call or talk to him for almost 5 weeks! It was the most difficult time for our large family since we had been so close.  What we didn't know was that two years later, when our son went to Iraq, we went several weeks without hearing from him, not knowing if he was out on a mission, had been attacked or if he was in trouble!  But the Lord is our reassurance that when we send our kids out into the world, even if WE can't watch out for our kids, God still sees their EVERY move!!

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is older, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
 Don't you see that children are God's best gift? (Psalm 127:3 MSG)

What comes first?

As the youth pastor at our church, I make it a point to put my youth group kids first.  Many of them haven't experienced that sort of feeling in their own families so it's new to them to be offered snacks first or for me to pour their soda or for one of my kids to offer their seat to a new student.  I have driven to a hospital to visit one of my youth kids even though the hospital was nearly 50 miles from my house and I enjoy the freedom to go and pray or visit with my youth kids at a moments notice.
Recently, I felt inclined to apply for a job outside the home.  My current position at church is volunteer, and many things we do are at a cost to the students or myself.  As I contemplate my first day at work, I am conflicted though.  I know that the Lord has plans to prosper me and to give me a hope and a future.  So why am I so compelled to work somewhere that doesn't fit with my position at the church?  I've been praying about this all weekend, and the Lord brought a word from a wonderful 17-year-old girl right to me.  She is in music ministry with her parents and has been literally since she was born.  She is also an national championship shooter.  I asked her how she managed the shooting tourneys with being on the road.  Her reply rings in my head even now:  "Oh, my ministry comes first!  Anything else I want to do, I do when we happen to be home or when we have down time from being on the road."  MY MINISTRY COMES FIRST!  Those words are echoing inside and stirring up the things of the Lord.  Am I truly putting my ministry first?  Am I truly putting these kids first?  I think the message is one I will meditate on and seek the Lord's Will through and through. 
If you're in a similar situation, I can't tell you what to do.   But I can point you to the Word and to what God says about performing your ministry, your calling and let His words guide you.  I believe for each of us, He works all things for good and I also believe He knows the desires of our hearts and will set everything up to achieve His overall purpose in our lives.
May you seek, and find the answers to the questioning of your place in this world!

Who's working it out? God? or YOU?!

This week has been so exciting for me!  I got a job doing things I really enjoy: meeting new people; talking about a cell phone company I am particularly fond of; and getting to help (my husband in particular!) support our family.  When my husband and I began talking about me possibly getting a job, we discussed many aspects of what would have to come together to make that a real possibility.  The hours could not interfere with my homeschooling our children, the travel distance would have to be relatively close (A feat in itself since we live at least 20 miles from ANYTHING!), and the pay would have to be more than enough to cover my new gas bill and my husband's gas requirement to make it that much more effective.
Those following me on Facebook know that I had a job interview last week, and yesterday I signed all my paperwork.  Today, I received notice of my hours for the next several weeks and the times are literally perfect for us!  Plus, a preplanned vacation is already scheduled to be taken off as we enter the holiday selling season.  As I went into the interview last week, I knew the things my husband and I had been discussing would have to come together if I were to accept the position.  In God's perfect plan and timing, everything has worked out BETTER than I could have imagined! 
I am feeling so overwhelmingly blessed tonight, and I give God all the praise and glory for working all this out to our specific requirements and requests to Him!  Thinking back, I have to realize that none of this occurred because of things that I did to make it all work out for me.  The Word says Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.  With Him we will produce much fruit, but apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).  I think when I try to plan everything out myself and workout payment arrangements, for example, that the favor of the Lord goes before me.  I believe that because in these crazy economic times, it has to be God working it out through the people I talk to; everyone wants their money owed to them yesterday!  Remember just who it is that is working all things to your good and His glory next time you think YOU worked that out well!!
"I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him."--Romans 12:3 (The Message)

Revealing the Illusion

This week I reveal just a little more about who I am; or rather, where I was and how I got to where I am to become who I am today!  I am not a super woman by any means, but I did not let adversity trap me and keep me from being an overcomer and a conqueror in life.  I invite you today to read my essay "More Than Conquerors" and be strengthened and encouraged that you CAN make it through whatever you are facing today!

Be blessed!!

http://www.anthemexposition.com/2011/10/more-than-conquerors-womans-victory.html