His Word

   Hide God's Word in your heart..... six simple words, fairly easy to accomplish, yet often the one thing we find so many excuses for not taking the time to do.  I teach a middle school Sunday School class at my church and I tell the kids each week to hide God's word in their hearts.  They kind of laugh at me and when I challenge them to get serious about God's word, they look at me like I'm crazy. And then the excuses start pouring out. " I'm too busy, I don't have a Bible., I have too much homework, I'm too tired at night and too rushed in the morning"...etc. My response " yeah?, tell me about it!!!"  We all have a LOT going on, but none of it matters as much as taking the time to sit and revel at the Word of our Lord, to let His letter pour over us and soak into our very being, becoming part of who we are.  His Word hidden in our hearts has great and lasting impact on how we live our lives and how we influence others.
   In January this year, my dad asked us (my entire family)  who wanted to read through the Bible with him this year? He was planning to do it with or without us and when he asked us it seemed like a nice endeavor to take on as a family.  Those of us who committed chose a Bible reading plan that suited our need and desire and off we went.  The first few months were great for most of us.  A busy Spring hit our family and most of us got behind.  As Summer came to a close I sent out a text to check in with all readers and to encourage anyone behind to pick up the pace and finish strong, myself included, and I dove head (or heart) first into His Word!  It has been a long process of kings and priests, temple building, Paul's missionary journeys, and so forth.  What a book!!!! I knew it before but it seems I am reading it for the first time.  I am loving the wonderful things that show the character of God and his relationship to us.  I have loved seeing His interaction with those who chose to serve Him and those who did not.  I have learned He is such a patient and just God in new ways.  And I am overwhelmed that He who controls it all loves me.  I am becoming consumed by His Word and today something amazing happened.
   After our workout this morning my sister remarked about her Bible reading and I replied that I had just read what she was speaking about. We have chosen two different plans (mine straight through and hers chronologically). After a short discussion on the passage she said to me  "next year you should read chronologically."  "i already plan too" I said.  That was it the amazing thing! I am already planning to read through this amazing book again!!!!!  You would think I wouldn't want to tackle it, but instead I have have uncovered new truths, found His Word to be timeless, have seen passages and stories that are applicable to the situations I face everyday.  But most of all, I am armed with the SWORD of truth, His Word!!! It has become my weapon of choice in the battle of life.  So that is why I say each Sunday "hide God's Word in your heart."  Our kids don't know what they will be up against, but if knowing His Word now becomes part of their very being, how well they will be prepared for life!


Heavenly Father,
How well you know us Lord and how much you care for you children that you would provide such a gift to us. Thank You for giving us Your Word.  It's truths and wisdom are the foundation for a life lived for Your glory.  Help me to fall in love with You daily as Your Word reveals You to me in new and exciting ways. I am so thankful to have a physical book in my possession when there are so many who have not even seen your Word.  Help me to hide Your Word in my heart that it becomes the breath that I breathe and sustains my life. Amen

Little Laughter

I will never grow tired of the sound of my children's laughter.😊

Happy eighth Olivia

Olivia arrived in the midst of chaos. We had just sold our first home and had bought a second I was pregnant (with our fourth) during the move, pregnant during the renovation, and have been pregnant twice more since living in this house! On theday we brought her home life seemed chaotic for sure, but we were determined to find some semblance of order in our crazy life. We have spent the last eight years raising children, cultivating a marriage, renovating a house, starting new home improvement projects each season, and trying to hold onto time just long enough for the memories to be etched forever in our minds. We knew our life would be crazy when we decided to have six children… And at times that craziness feels overwhelming! But we also know this without the craziness life wouldn't be nearly exciting as it is. Tomorrow we will be celebrating our Olivia's eighth birthday, I have no idea where those eight years have gone but I do know this there have been happy moments, there have been tears! There have been lots of bumps and scrapes, arguments and fights, lots of laughter and yo mama jokes! (Yes we tell yo mama jokes.) There have been days I wish to never speak of again, and days I wish I could hold onto forever. When I look at the sweet face of my eight-year-old I remember that precious baby I held in my arms and vowed to love and care for forever. I am often overwhelmed with the love I have for each of my children and how it pales in comparison to the love my heavenly Father has for me. That He would give His only son to make a sacrifice so great just in order to know me in a more intimate way, is beyond my comprehension. I think of the times my children have hurt me, have disobeyed, have chosen to go outside the standard their father and I have set for our household and do their own thing. How much more have I gone outside of the will of my Father has for me? He is so faithful and it seems as if His time and patience with me will last forever. But I realize that just as these eight years have passed by so quickly so too will our lives here on this earth. The time is now, the choices need to be made. Are you living the life God has for you? Are you raising your children to know Him and to love Him in an intimate way? As we celebrate Olivia, my prayer for her birthday would be that she grows to know God in a deeper way each and every day. That she dedicate her whole being to serving Him. She is such a special girl with great God given talents and I can just imagine if used for His glory how she will flourish in this world. Not for her own selfish gain but to point others to a God that loves them so much. Life is never going to slow down, and distractions will always be with us. But it is important to remember that even though it seems we are plowing headlong into the unknown God has a path set before us. He knows the desires of our hearts because He has placed them there and when we choose to follow His will he has great things in store for us.

Why I Blog

I wanted to tell you why I blog. Obviously my posts are scattered here and there and arrive on the blog with much time between posts. I've discovered there are a lot of bloggers out there in cyberspace. And when I started I really questioned whether one more was needed. But I wanted to blog for some very special reasons. I am not a special person, I am a wife and mother of six who is finding her way through this crazy life. I enjoy reading the blogs I subscribe to on a daily basis. I am amazed at the women who find time to sit down and blog each day. I'm uplifted by their comments and the Godly wisdom that I read on a regular basis. But I knew that kind of blogging was not for me. I wanted first and foremost to be the mother to my children, and the wife to my husband. I often find myself wanting to make a blog post, but realizing that I am caught up in the middle of what is happening that I'd like to blog about, that I have no time to write about it. Then there are other times when I have the time to write but the words won't come to form something worth reading! And so I trudge through this wonderful world of raising children and figuring things out… And hope in the end it all comes together for me. I started blogging for a few reasons; I wanted a record of sort to look back on my journey through life.  I wanted to see how I've grown as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and child of the King. I wanted to have a written memory for my family. I know that one day I won't be as busy, that little feet won't be running around underfoot, and grubby faces won't need to be scrubbed.  Then there will be time to blog.  So for now I will continue as I am able, but know this; it is not lack of desire that the posts don't  cone often.... It is just that I am busy about the work I have been called by Him to do in this season if life!

Lollipops and Dog Licks

My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

It's a beautiful thing when breakfast is finished, the chores are completed and we are seated at the table ready to begin our day.  If I had my way each day would start sweetly and quietly, with smiles and good attitudes as we all worked in one accord to prepare for the day.  That would be a lollipop morning.  One of which we would all look forward.  A day that brought satisfaction.  But let's face it some days are just pure dog lick...when nothing goes well and chaos reigns supreme.  I had that day yesterday.  I was prepared, but events from the the day before had already set the tone for the attitude in my middle child and it seemed that I was fighting a losing battle from the start. He was certainly in a dog lick place!!!

Knowing that my only course of action in order to claim success was to put aside my plan for the day and focus on the needs of my son.  Hours seemed like an eternity, but through prayer and perseverance we made it to lunch time and the mood had become slightly sweeter. That same son had art class in the afternoon and as I was picking him up, his art teacher introduced me as a "veteran " homeschool mom, to a new mom in class. I was honored by the title, but laughed a little as I briefly said my morning did not feel as though I were a veteran.  This new mom said something that I wholeheartedly agreed with; she said, "with homeschooling the days are either really wonderful or really awful, there is no in-between."  I totally get that; lollipops or dog licks. I prefer the lollipop days, but I will tackle the dog lick days with all the strength God provides.  I believe it is on those days we are made stronger.  

Getting Started.....AGAIN!!!

I just read my last blog post.....wow time has flown.  I knew that I wouldn't have time to blog last year and did not set high expectations for myself.  So here is a brief update.

Curriculum worked out really well for us.  I took a few subjects out because of time constraints and my desire for the kids to retain most of the information they were getting.

Cross country trip was FANTASTIC!!!! Many stories to come.

Baby number 6 arrived beautiful and healthy.  I have really enjoyed her first year of life and I am now chasing a busy one year old.

My husband and I are doing the Insanity workout every morning and I am in the best shape of my life.  

We have found a lovely new church family and have settled in nicely. My children look forward to our days there each week.

We are busy, but the schedule is manageable most days. Somehow everything gets done!

It is now the start of another year and I have some things to share once again!!!! So here we go!