homebound and prepping

this week's held such fun times. from time spent in our home with friends, some calendared visits, while others chose the much loved impromptu, show up on your doorstep kind of visit. we so enjoy both. we got the chance to visit with some old friends as well, as in, known since i was three years old friends. we grew up together, in church, youth group and school. sitting with them recently was surreal, my own children now as old as we were together growing up. catching up was good, waves of nostalgia hitting strongly, with much thanks for how we've grown. God is faithful.

fevers and stomach aches have hit us now, and we're battling another round of some bug. it's no wonder, as almost everyone we know and are in contact with has some bug they're fighting. my current light-headedness may or may not be due to the amount of lysol i've doused throughout our home this afternoon. i'm sure to land sometime soon. the homeboundness brings rest though, and we're taking full advantage.

in prep mode for an upcoming missions trip, we are preparing our support letters. we are excited for the opportunity to go to Nicaragua this coming May. having never gone with our whole family, we cannot wait to work side by side in this ministry. the boys are busy planning skits for the children in orphanages and praying for their hearts to realize Jesus as their Savior. one of my sons asked if perhaps we raised enough support, could we bring home a baby sister? if it were only that easy. we are confident of this though, God will allow us to love the children while we're there, and we're praying He'll show some real way of helping them in the future days to come. my second born is already dreaming up ideas of some day opening an orphanage or adding to an existing one. wouldn't that be grand for God to use him in such a capacity? whatever dreams he dreams, i pray they're always for God.

so addressing envelopes we are. doing our part to help the mail carriers work load this coming week. praying and trusting God for the amount needed for this trip. He is able!

stalemate

at a crossroads perhaps. no, i am not really sure i should call it that. maybe it is just an excursion, off the worn, thoroughly trodden path. remarkable views are certain though.
i know God is urging, guiding.

if only i could be like an Israelite, and have a pillar of cloud or fire.

something to actually see and keep stepping towards.

why in these moments, when God is pressing in, prodding gently..  do excuses escape so freely?

when God says "move", and i just stand still, frozen in fear, somehow convincing myself that if we both stand still, consistently communicating, that we both win.

then You remind me... when neither player can make a move, the game becomes stale... neither win, but both lose. and that is my biggest fear of all.
complacency...
not a running river, but a stagnant swamp, collecting all that is bad and diseased.

You call me to obedience, You, God of all.

 not to make the next move, but to let You hold the pieces, all of them.

You have promised to be faithful, not to make it easy.

Father, would i see You if the darkness never came? or would Your light blend in, mistaken for the sun?

could i understand Your healing if i never felt the hurt?

Your truth brings clarity to confusion. and although sometimes my heart aches,

i know the aching I feel is only a longing for home.

You call me to obedience, to obey You, God of all. in that thick, passing all too quickly, cannot describe or retrieve it moment... i am left breathless, desiring exhale...
carry me along the path You will.



joining in with a grateful heart at

pinterest party

Joining in at a Pinterest party today!
If you've completed any of those pinned ideas, head on over to my friend's blog, Living with Three Hobbits and a Giant and join in the fun!

I know it's a few days after the fact, but we had a pinterest inspired Valentine's day. I shared the ideas a couple weeks ago, and can now say that each one of them was a hit!

The first "pinspiration" was an all-boy card ...

 Source: imgfave.com via Allyson on Pinterest

I knew my boys would love this. So, I used the words, changing them a little to "Yoda Obi-Wan for me", and I printed out a stock print of Yoda for the front of each card. Each of my boys loved their cards.

For breakfast, heart shaped cinnamon rolls. I thought this was such a simple and fun idea, and not one that must be saved for Valentine's day. I'll be making heart shaped cinnamon rolls more often now.

The pin...

Source: mudpiestudio.blogspot.com via Allyson on Pinterest

The result...

Strawberries added a touch of red, and helped to round out the nutritional value ;-).

Then, for dinner, we had love inspired pizza.

The pin...

Source: onecharmingparty.com via Allyson on Pinterest

And, my result...

Upon seeing the pizza, one of my oldests said, "You went to the trouble of cutting hearts in the pepperoni??" While his question told me that he thought I was little off my rocker, his expression clearly told me that he'd never forget it.

We had a simple, yet special day, celebrating the love our heavenly Father has given us. I hope you did too!

a perfect gentleman

this past weekend held for me rare opportunity to spend time with not only my husband,

but also my first-born.

 our church hosted a festivity, an all love inspired event, for the kiddos on Saturday night. my two youngers participated and my two olders helped.

that left a complete evening for hubby and myself.

 gift certificate in hand, we headed for a night on the town. okay, not really. first we picked up necessary toilet paper. then, we headed for a restaurant, where we found an 80 minute wait.  i had thought ahead and brought two certificates, and the second place came through. we were seated immediately and enjoyed a wonderful dinner. we love our boys, but it is amazing how many subjects we can cover in one uninterrupted conversation. afterwards, with time to spare, we strolled some stores, found some mega deals on much needed pants for the third-born (for some reason, by the time the hand-me-downs get to him, most have holes in the knees), picked out cards for each other and had the other read them... which saves money and I got three, yes three different cards this year. i only chose one for him.

 they were all lovely and meant just as much to read as they would've bought.

fifteen years of marriage makes it possible to sincerely not care whether i have a card in my hand, i much prefer an evening with my hand in his. 

then came Monday, when oldest and I had eye appointments, back to back. it is extremely rare to have time with just one of my boys. even though some of the time consisted of doctor appointments, I wanted to make the most of our time together. he'd asked to visit the music store afterwards, to buy some classical piano supplements, and who can say no to that?! so, following our appointments, i drove with eyes half open, sunglasses on, pupils fully dilated, across town, to the music store. he chose beautiful pieces and then announced he was hungry... what 12 year-old boy isn't?

i became aware throughout the morning he was paying particular attention to details. details like opening the store doors for me, even beating me out of the van and racing around the side to open my van door. he wasn't awkward in his attentiveness, at all, but rather smooth and natural.

every move he made seemed to flow, a normal response from the love he has for me.

such a reflection of his Daddy.

 so, as we ate lunch at 5 guys (quite the appropriate place for us, just missing the other 4), it didn't surprise me when he asked if i'd like some peanuts and proceeded to get us some.

when his conversation turned to subjects of his dreams and goals, and he told me that he's started praying that God would show him clearly what areas to study hardest in, and then to the subject of purity.

i wasn't surprised that i was sitting across from a young man, who was yesterday just my child.

 such a wonderful time we had. laughter so hard that tears welled up,

and conversation so rich that tears welled up.

as we got ready to leave he asked if i would like a refill.

as he filled both of our cups, i thought,

"you'd might as well let that cup flow right over, because that's how my heart feels."

small disclaimer... sorry for the quality of the pictures... i only had my cell phone

joining in with a grateful heart at

The MOB Society

that clean

The day begins cold and dark and the fireplace is a welcome place for schoolwork.

Soon, clouds burst with falling snow, and winter looks more like we remember.

Powdered sugar, sifted to the ground, sweet to our sight.

The ground covers and the man-child says,

"Snow always reminds me that our sins are washed this clean."

Whiter than pure, clean snow. How could anything be that white? 

That untarnished.... that forgiven.

When the sun comes out, and gleans upon it. Well... the reflection is almost blinding.

One cannot look at it without squinting.

If our sins are washed that clean, how do we reflect the Son?

Do I glisten by His indwelling?

Do others recognize Him in me so that their eyes must partially close?

And, as He warms us with His love, His Spirit living in this earthly vessel... do I melt into others?

A love so fresh, soaking all the way to the root?

The world waits to sponge whatever we leave as we melt...

If our sins are washed that clean, and our reflection is that strong, 

so also will be the shadows in our lives.

And I wonder if it's our own selves we cast in those shadows... or Him?

where my breathing changes

My small child curls up in my lap. Exhausted, it's not long and his eyes are closing, blinking away the cares of this day. He stirs only to adjust to sufficient comfort, his head lying further down in my arms.

Soon, he is completely asleep. I know because his heart begins to slow, likened to a walk from a gallop, he trots into dreamland.... and his breathing changes. No longer short bursts of air passing back and forth, but  deep, lung-filling breaths. I could lay him down or sink further into my chair, holding on, savoring this moment of time. I choose the latter.

He's completely asleep, and completely content. Warm and safe in his mother's arms.... all thoughts vanquish and he's able to rest and be still. He knows he is safe.

When he gets bigger, where will he feel this safe? Where do I feel safe?

In the presence of my Savior, that is where I am safest. That is where I'm compelled to be still, and the cares of the day slip away, falling at the foot of the cross. I'm warmed by His love, the promises in His Word spoken continually to my heart. Curled up in His lap, I am content... and my breathing changes. Life sustaining breaths. He brings rest to my soul. 





Joining wonderful ladies at Far Above Rubies
                                        Women Living Well and                  
                        

just for laughs

It was a GORGEOUS day,

feeling much more like the tip of spring than the middle of winter.