In 12 hours, Jill will be here!!! We served in Russia with the Willekes for 6 of our 7 years. We have shared so many memories, trials, triumphs, firsts, language class, celebrations, blunders, trips, discussions, holidays...Jill is one of my very dearest friends and I can wait to see her!!!
I try to be organized. I clean, give away, put away, simplify, make lists, have 2 calendars, but still fail to remember, am unable to find what I am searching for and seem to always be running late and on empty!!!
Last night, we attended the Y’s Fall Carnival. I left early to go have girl time, but needed to get my purse from our car. I told Keith that I would hide the keys in a special spot, so I would not need to go back into the Y. I immediately went to the car, grabbed my purse, put the keys in my purse and left in my friend’s car. I never again thought about the keys…until Keith called.
My cell phone doesn’t ring and if it did would probably be buried in my purse dead. Sooo, when my friend said that Keith was on the phone I panicked!!!
Where did you leave the keys?
Oh…the keys are in my purse!!!
Borrowed car, return keys, returned borrowed car…breaking the garage door upon my return!!!
Today, I tried to make cinnamon rolls with a quart of milk...equaling 8 cups of milk!?!?! Only after finishing the process did I realize I added twice as much milk as needed. I considered adding more flour to the already 9 cups...but after 4 additional cups I decided to just make muffins!!!
I posted a note almost a year ago. The point was that God was speaking to me and giving me joy despite being in a place in life that was not naturally enjoyable.
Somewhere between then and now I have been really fighting for joy. I have even lost it in many ways. I have been wondering how to get it back. I want to be joyful. I want to be content. I want to be at peace. But I haven’t been.
Today, I was reviewing some Scripture that I have been reading through and trying to think over some things that had jumped out at me. One of the things I read was in James chapter 1. In the translation I have been reading it says, “When you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy.” This a pretty radical and even strange expectation.
So, why should I consider all trials of life (especially the one I am in now) nothing but joy? As I read on it gives the answer “because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance…so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
So here’s what I’m learning. The testing of my faith produces better faith, which means in the end, I will be closer to the one I put my faith in. That’s Jesus of course. But for this to motivate me to be joyful, I must value my relationship with Jesus more than anything. If my connection with God is not that important to me, I would not want to be joyful in trials. I wouldn’t care about that particular result. I must value Him even more than that which I have lost in this trial. Like a ministry. Like the status of being a real life missionary. Like our friends we left. Like Russia. Like financial security. And on and on.
I am learning that I have valued some of those things even more than Christ and my relationship with Him. I want those things back, or similar things, to replace them. Jesus has not been enough. I haven’t lost Him, but He has not consistently been supremely valuable to me.
I am praying my heart is changed by Him, so that He becomes that. I am learning that this is not going to be a simple choice to change. It will entail more than singing a praise song at church or just declaring this is what I want. It will entail wrestling deep in my soul to make my Savior all that I need. No matter what else I have or not. For me, that is the secret to unstealable joy.
Gid’s Class did a Living Library, where each child dressed as their favorite storybook character and sharing what they love about that story.
The kids sang songs and recited poems.
He choose to be Anakin Skywalker from one of his many Star Wars books.
He did a great job and had a blast!
He was also selected as Star Student for the month of October.
Busy at work.
Gid, we are sooo proud of you!!!
Emme loves to “help” in the kitchen. She really enjoys baking, but I think her real motivation is getting to lick the bowl!!!
This was Gid & Emme’s first ever trip to Krispy Kremes…even though we live just down the street! It was sooo great to get to visit with Grandpa and Grandma!!! We love you guys!!!
Today was perfect weather for the Annual Village Fall Festival.
The kids loved Laser Tag…
Tub Races…
The Climbing Wall…
and Gideon loved declaring victory 3 times at the Balance Battle.
Thanks Village for a great day!
To see all of our fun memories…check-out our online photo album.
After 5 years and sore feet, I broke down and purchased new shoes! On Monday, I had a 25 minute window of freedom to explore, try on and purchase shoes. I selected at least 20 options, analyzed, compared and choose what I thought was one of the more expensive pairs, but they were the cheapest pair…sooo, I bought a pair of shorts too!!!
My new shoes have been my inspiration to increase my exercise efforts. I have made it to the gym 4 days this week and twice, I spent 60 minute on the elliptical, went 5 1/2 miles and burned 600 calories!!! I was sooo excited, full of energy and all but broke out in song during the last 5 minutes of my workout!!! I just pray my efforts turn into a decrease on the scale!!!
Gideon won “Lunch With The Teacher & A Friend”…he invited his friend, K, and Mrs. Prickett’s 1st Grade daughter. Mrs. Prickett treated them to pizza, cookies and fabulous Halloween treats! We are sooo thankful to have such a great, fun teacher!!!
Anne and her sweet family lived across the street from my family. After my mom died, she began to Mentor me and through her, God has changed my life!!! Today, we got to have lunch with Mrs. Herndon, the person God used to change her life!!! It was amazing to be with such wise, sweet, Godly ladies. Over lunch, I learned so many things!!!
Believe God will do what He says He will do!
Be busy doing the Lord’s work and spending time in the “delicious” Word of God.
Thank you God for such precious women and the opportunity to learn from them!!!
The holidays have officially begun…at least for Emme!!! She is wearing her beloved Christmas dress and Halloween socks!!! What a girl!!!
We have collected sooo much candy and it is not even Halloween yet!!! Granny loves to spoil the kids and always spends candy home with us. I usually eat my favorites, the dark chocolate snickers, and dump the rest in a big bowl for rewards for the kids. From the looks of the pile, they have not been very good!!! ;-)
So, we are ready for trick-or-treaters…and everyone, of course, will get candy, but for some it will be treats, but for those who get the left over chocolate Christmas bells or Easter eggs…tricks…but, the shelf life for chocolate is one year!!!
Fall Break, along with 3 days of doing nothing, but eating, relaxing and loving life, has officially ended and we must return to reality!!!
We are sooo thankful that Grampy and Granny are always willing to spoil us, cook for us and love on the grandkids…giving mommy and daddy a much needed break!!!
Grampy and Granny~We miss you already!!!
Whoever said, “There is no place like home” has never been to Granny’s!!!
