Thursday, February 10, 2011
Why don't you fix mashed potatoes?
I have been really trying to cook more. During the fall, while I was terribly busy with craft shows, we got into the habit of eating out way too much. Trying to break that habit has been hard. We're doing a lot better. One thing that has helped is that I make a lot of crockpot meals. I've also broken down and buy one kind of frozen dinner type meal for each two week period. This just gives me any easy night some time when I need it. One that we actually really like is chicken enchiladas. Well, we had it the other night and Brandt asked what we were having. I told him enchiladas and said "why don't you fix mashed potatoes with it?" I just had to laugh. Can you tell he loves mashed potatoes, I mean why else would you want them with enchiladas?!? I told him I would fix BBQ Chicken on Saturday and would make mashed potatoes with it! Which reminds me....I need to thaw some chicken!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Everlasting....
Yesterday, I told Jazlyn we had to go somewhere. She wanted to know if we were going to Auntie Kim's. I told her no and she said "Oh, we haven't moved there yet." Then she said the funniest thing. She said "are we going to push our house there?" I just laughed and told her we would be getting a brand new house there and a different family would be living here, in this house.
She doesn't understand everything. She doesn't even understand why we are moving. To her, it's all about being near Auntie Kim. What she doesn't realize is that this is going to make an everlasting change in her life.
God has given me two words over the past few months as we're starting on our journey. One is everlasting and the other is path. Today, I'm going to share about everlasting. We'll get to path another time.
Once we committed to going, when we KNEW that this is what God wanted for us, the word everlasting came to me. I feel so humbled when I think that God is going to use me. He's going to use me in this church and in other people's lives. We're going to to be used by God to make an everlasting difference to the people of Fishers. The funny thing is, is that they don't even know yet! The church is going to start and people's lives are going to be changed, forever, everlasting change. Doug and I and the other couples that are going are not going to be the same either. We get the privilege of God working through us to do something amazing. How can anybody be the same after that? We will be changed, everlasting change. I guess the one that I love the most is that my kids will be changed, everlasting! They might not get it all right now. I'm sure Austin understands, and Brandt might get it some, but definitely not Jazz. As they grow older, as their faith matures, they'll understand this huge leap of faith we're taking. They can look back at our example and be willing to step out in faith with God, to totally trust Him in their circumstances. Their faith is going to be changed, everlasting!
So, although it is kinda scary and I can really start to worry myself if I stop and think of everything that has to happen for us to get there and for the church to be a success. Instead of focusing on the now, I'm focusing on the everlasting. There's no better focus to have.
She doesn't understand everything. She doesn't even understand why we are moving. To her, it's all about being near Auntie Kim. What she doesn't realize is that this is going to make an everlasting change in her life.
God has given me two words over the past few months as we're starting on our journey. One is everlasting and the other is path. Today, I'm going to share about everlasting. We'll get to path another time.
Once we committed to going, when we KNEW that this is what God wanted for us, the word everlasting came to me. I feel so humbled when I think that God is going to use me. He's going to use me in this church and in other people's lives. We're going to to be used by God to make an everlasting difference to the people of Fishers. The funny thing is, is that they don't even know yet! The church is going to start and people's lives are going to be changed, forever, everlasting change. Doug and I and the other couples that are going are not going to be the same either. We get the privilege of God working through us to do something amazing. How can anybody be the same after that? We will be changed, everlasting change. I guess the one that I love the most is that my kids will be changed, everlasting! They might not get it all right now. I'm sure Austin understands, and Brandt might get it some, but definitely not Jazz. As they grow older, as their faith matures, they'll understand this huge leap of faith we're taking. They can look back at our example and be willing to step out in faith with God, to totally trust Him in their circumstances. Their faith is going to be changed, everlasting!
So, although it is kinda scary and I can really start to worry myself if I stop and think of everything that has to happen for us to get there and for the church to be a success. Instead of focusing on the now, I'm focusing on the everlasting. There's no better focus to have.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Call....
June 2010
I'm at a finance team meeting at church, preparing the budget for the coming year. Pastor Dale shares with us that Pastor Matt & Brooke will be leaving the church sometime within the next year. They have a call to plant a church in Fishers, IN. I was really upset with the news. Matt & Brooke are in our life group and our life group is very close. We were told not to tell anybody, so I didn't even share it with Doug.
That Sunday, Matt preached. Driving home, I was thinking about how much I would miss them and hated that they were leaving. I almost said it to Doug, but remembered that I hadn't told him. On Wednesday, I almost said something again and decided that I would just have to share with him. It's not like Doug's a big talker and would go and tell everybody :) So, Wednesday morning, I told him and it hit me that they're going to Fishers. That's the town right next to my sister! I was so excited to tell her about it that night. We always had a weekly phone conversation while Austin was at switch!
Over the summer, Kimberly and I would talk often about the church and Matt and Brooke. Kimberly was really excited to be involved once it came. Never was anything mentioned of even the possibility of Doug and I moving to help plant the church.
October 2010
Matt announces to our life group that they are leaving to plant a church in Indiana. It comes out that I have known for awhile and that it's basically right where my sister lives. Mary turns and looks at me and says "you're not going too, are you?" I said "No way! We're not moving here until Doug can retire, he's got way too good of a job."
November 2010
Went to church one Sunday, just like every other Sunday. Pastor Matt gets up to preach and I start crying. I was thinking, man, I like the guy, but this is ridiculous! I felt God say "maybe you should be praying about if you should go with them." On the way home from church, I tell Doug and he says "maybe we should." Matt had shared that others had come to him and asked if they should go with him. He told them to fast and pray for 30 days and then come back to him. So, we didn't say anything to anybody. I fasted facebook and Doug fasted the computer as a whole.
Doug and I had never joined together in fast and prayer over anything. It was huge step for us, not only spiritually, but also as a couple. I told myself, maybe God just wants us to fast and pray together. My prayers were very specific and always the same. I wanted a very clear answer from God. Not signs, not coincidences, not feelings. I wanted to hear God say "Go". This was a huge thing. Doug is probably not going to be able to be a police officer there. Most departments have an age limit that Doug is above. If he could find a police job, the pay would be much less than he makes now and he would more than likely be on 2nd shift again. So, for us to take this step, I wanted to know FOR SURE that it was from God. Then I would know he has a plan for us. He has a path for us. He has a job, a house, everything we need already in the makings.
A little over a week later, I was talking to my sister and she was having a really bad day. So, I told her not to get excited but that we were praying and fasting about coming with Matt and Brooke. She started crying. I told her "that's why I wasn't going to tell you!" She agreed to pray with us as well. Not that God would call us there, but that he would clearly show us His will.
That Friday, we're at lifegroup and I mention that I'm fasting facebook. Jesse asks me why and so I share that we're praying about if we should go with Matt and Brooke. I look over at Brooke and she has a huge smile on her face. Everyone agreed to pray with us, that God would give us a clear answer. I realize now how much we needed prayer support, and how much we'll need it going forward. I tend to keep things to myself and that's not the best thing to do. I'm so thankful for an amazing life group that actually does life with us!
Coming home from church that Sunday, I ask Doug if he has felt anything, one way or the other about going. He says "not since that first Sunday." I was like "what do you mean?" He answered "well, you remember that first Sunday when you said you felt God say we should pray about going? Well, I felt it to, but I wasn't going to say anything if you didn't say something first." I said "you never told me that!" He said "that's because you said something!" Wow! I was so shocked. I thought Doug was just praying because I said we should; but, God had spoken to both of us, at the same service! I cried as I typed this. How amazing!
December 2010
The coming Sunday would be 28 days of our fast and prayer. I joked with everyone, my lifegroup and Kim that I was pretty sure God was going to answer me on that day. Nate had prayed about going and God answered him on day 28. We go to church and Matt even preached and I felt nothing. I was really disappointed. I had prayed for so long, so faithfully, so specifically and nothing. Mary and Brooke talked with me after the service to see if I had an answer and I said no. Doug just stood there and when I said something to him he said "you don't listen very well." I said "you think we should go." He said "yes". Later, I found out that during the last song, he heard God say "go" and when he said "is this my answer?" God said "yes, go."
Monday morning was rough. I had a very bad morning. To pray, to fast, to read my bible faithfully and not get an answer, I felt so let down. It was supposed to be this amazing God moment in my life, and nothing.
For the past couple of years I have really been working on allowing Doug to step up and be the man of the house. He is very passive and I'm more forceful, so just naturally I tend to take the lead. I have really felt convicted by God that this is not right and have been trying hard to take a step back. My sister knows all of this for I share pretty much everything with her. So, we go to Indiana that following weekend for my mom's wedding. On Saturday night, Kim asks me how it's going and I told her that I didn't feel God tell me to go but Doug did. She starts crying and says that we're so coming! She reminded me of how I have been trying to let Doug be the head of our home. She also said what a huge deal it was for Doug to say he felt we should go. He's leaving his family and an occupation. For him to say we're going, and want to go....that's huge! These were things I had told myself during the week, but I still wanted a clear "go" from God!
We ended up heading home on Saturday night because a blizzard was coming. We got up and went to church on Sunday morning. We had dinner scheduled with Matt & Brooke early that coming week to talk about Fishers and our possible call. So, we see Matt before church and were talking to him. I told him I still didn't have an answer, but I really thought I wanted to know now and God wanted to tell me in His time. Church starts and Matt gets up to preach and in my mind I say to God "I'm ready to hear the answer in Your time, not mine." I immediately hear "I was ready to tell you six months ago (in June when I found out they were leaving). Do you think it's a coincidence that they started a lifegroup right when you started looking for one? No, I specifically placed you with them, to develop a relationship with them. To grow to love them. Do you think it's a coincidence that they're starting a church within 10-15 minutes of your sister? How long have you had a desire to be near your family? Do you think it's a coincidence that Doug can retire after 8 years and he hit the 8 year mark last month? No, my child, this is my perfect, divine plan for you."
I still am in awe of that. That God has a plan for me! I'm nothing special, have no major skills, but God is going to use me to plant a church that is going to change lives! I have so much more to share, but I'll leave those for another day. Thanks for letting me share! I'm so excited to complete the story over the next several months and years.
I'm at a finance team meeting at church, preparing the budget for the coming year. Pastor Dale shares with us that Pastor Matt & Brooke will be leaving the church sometime within the next year. They have a call to plant a church in Fishers, IN. I was really upset with the news. Matt & Brooke are in our life group and our life group is very close. We were told not to tell anybody, so I didn't even share it with Doug.
That Sunday, Matt preached. Driving home, I was thinking about how much I would miss them and hated that they were leaving. I almost said it to Doug, but remembered that I hadn't told him. On Wednesday, I almost said something again and decided that I would just have to share with him. It's not like Doug's a big talker and would go and tell everybody :) So, Wednesday morning, I told him and it hit me that they're going to Fishers. That's the town right next to my sister! I was so excited to tell her about it that night. We always had a weekly phone conversation while Austin was at switch!
Over the summer, Kimberly and I would talk often about the church and Matt and Brooke. Kimberly was really excited to be involved once it came. Never was anything mentioned of even the possibility of Doug and I moving to help plant the church.
October 2010
Matt announces to our life group that they are leaving to plant a church in Indiana. It comes out that I have known for awhile and that it's basically right where my sister lives. Mary turns and looks at me and says "you're not going too, are you?" I said "No way! We're not moving here until Doug can retire, he's got way too good of a job."
November 2010
Went to church one Sunday, just like every other Sunday. Pastor Matt gets up to preach and I start crying. I was thinking, man, I like the guy, but this is ridiculous! I felt God say "maybe you should be praying about if you should go with them." On the way home from church, I tell Doug and he says "maybe we should." Matt had shared that others had come to him and asked if they should go with him. He told them to fast and pray for 30 days and then come back to him. So, we didn't say anything to anybody. I fasted facebook and Doug fasted the computer as a whole.
Doug and I had never joined together in fast and prayer over anything. It was huge step for us, not only spiritually, but also as a couple. I told myself, maybe God just wants us to fast and pray together. My prayers were very specific and always the same. I wanted a very clear answer from God. Not signs, not coincidences, not feelings. I wanted to hear God say "Go". This was a huge thing. Doug is probably not going to be able to be a police officer there. Most departments have an age limit that Doug is above. If he could find a police job, the pay would be much less than he makes now and he would more than likely be on 2nd shift again. So, for us to take this step, I wanted to know FOR SURE that it was from God. Then I would know he has a plan for us. He has a path for us. He has a job, a house, everything we need already in the makings.
A little over a week later, I was talking to my sister and she was having a really bad day. So, I told her not to get excited but that we were praying and fasting about coming with Matt and Brooke. She started crying. I told her "that's why I wasn't going to tell you!" She agreed to pray with us as well. Not that God would call us there, but that he would clearly show us His will.
That Friday, we're at lifegroup and I mention that I'm fasting facebook. Jesse asks me why and so I share that we're praying about if we should go with Matt and Brooke. I look over at Brooke and she has a huge smile on her face. Everyone agreed to pray with us, that God would give us a clear answer. I realize now how much we needed prayer support, and how much we'll need it going forward. I tend to keep things to myself and that's not the best thing to do. I'm so thankful for an amazing life group that actually does life with us!
Coming home from church that Sunday, I ask Doug if he has felt anything, one way or the other about going. He says "not since that first Sunday." I was like "what do you mean?" He answered "well, you remember that first Sunday when you said you felt God say we should pray about going? Well, I felt it to, but I wasn't going to say anything if you didn't say something first." I said "you never told me that!" He said "that's because you said something!" Wow! I was so shocked. I thought Doug was just praying because I said we should; but, God had spoken to both of us, at the same service! I cried as I typed this. How amazing!
December 2010
The coming Sunday would be 28 days of our fast and prayer. I joked with everyone, my lifegroup and Kim that I was pretty sure God was going to answer me on that day. Nate had prayed about going and God answered him on day 28. We go to church and Matt even preached and I felt nothing. I was really disappointed. I had prayed for so long, so faithfully, so specifically and nothing. Mary and Brooke talked with me after the service to see if I had an answer and I said no. Doug just stood there and when I said something to him he said "you don't listen very well." I said "you think we should go." He said "yes". Later, I found out that during the last song, he heard God say "go" and when he said "is this my answer?" God said "yes, go."
Monday morning was rough. I had a very bad morning. To pray, to fast, to read my bible faithfully and not get an answer, I felt so let down. It was supposed to be this amazing God moment in my life, and nothing.
For the past couple of years I have really been working on allowing Doug to step up and be the man of the house. He is very passive and I'm more forceful, so just naturally I tend to take the lead. I have really felt convicted by God that this is not right and have been trying hard to take a step back. My sister knows all of this for I share pretty much everything with her. So, we go to Indiana that following weekend for my mom's wedding. On Saturday night, Kim asks me how it's going and I told her that I didn't feel God tell me to go but Doug did. She starts crying and says that we're so coming! She reminded me of how I have been trying to let Doug be the head of our home. She also said what a huge deal it was for Doug to say he felt we should go. He's leaving his family and an occupation. For him to say we're going, and want to go....that's huge! These were things I had told myself during the week, but I still wanted a clear "go" from God!
We ended up heading home on Saturday night because a blizzard was coming. We got up and went to church on Sunday morning. We had dinner scheduled with Matt & Brooke early that coming week to talk about Fishers and our possible call. So, we see Matt before church and were talking to him. I told him I still didn't have an answer, but I really thought I wanted to know now and God wanted to tell me in His time. Church starts and Matt gets up to preach and in my mind I say to God "I'm ready to hear the answer in Your time, not mine." I immediately hear "I was ready to tell you six months ago (in June when I found out they were leaving). Do you think it's a coincidence that they started a lifegroup right when you started looking for one? No, I specifically placed you with them, to develop a relationship with them. To grow to love them. Do you think it's a coincidence that they're starting a church within 10-15 minutes of your sister? How long have you had a desire to be near your family? Do you think it's a coincidence that Doug can retire after 8 years and he hit the 8 year mark last month? No, my child, this is my perfect, divine plan for you."
I still am in awe of that. That God has a plan for me! I'm nothing special, have no major skills, but God is going to use me to plant a church that is going to change lives! I have so much more to share, but I'll leave those for another day. Thanks for letting me share! I'm so excited to complete the story over the next several months and years.
Let's try this again!
So, it's been a year since my last post. That really seems hard to believe! But, I'm going to try and do better. I started this for the memories, and I know I'm missing out on documenting so much, so here we go again. Another big reason for this is that there's a big change coming up, I think I'll start a brand new post so I can tell you all about it....
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
I'm so stylish...
Doug painted Jazzy's toenails the other day. She was so excited. I get lax during the winter keeping mine & hers painted. Anyway, she kept showing them to me and then she showed them to Austin, you could just tell she was super excited! Well, once I saw how cute hers was, I just had to paint my mine. While I was doing it, she said "they're so beautiful." And then "they're so stylish!" I have no idea where she picked up that word. I call her beautiful all the time, but I don't ever remember using the word stylish. It's actually the second time she's told me how stylish I am. It's just so darn cute! So glad she's got good fashion sense early :)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
New Years Resolutions
I'm not a big fan of the whole New Years Resolutions. Does anybody really keep them? It seems like I make the same ones every year with good intentions, but usually don't follow through. I've set myself some goals for the year, however. Totally different than resolutions :) First I want to spend more time with God, reading His word. I also want to spend more time doing things as a family and with my kids. Time is just too short, I need to make them more of a priority! I want to also take better care of myself, eat healthier and exercise. I guess I'll try to get back with my blogging as well. The last few months have just been soooo hectic! We'll see how it goes :)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I'm Back!
Well, life is starting to slow down. I have been crazy busy preparing for Marigold Festival and then making the 20 orders that came from it. Then, etsy decided it was time to pick up and I had 7 orders come from there. I also took on a second accounting job that I do from home. It's perfect, just not perfect timing. I have to get them caught up from January, so trying to spend time doing that as well. Whew! I am ready to slow down and start enjoying my daughter again. That is why I am a stay at home mom. Two weekends of Spoon River Drive to go and then nothing on the calendar until December! Can't wait!
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