Friday, January 29, 2016

Setting the Standard



You know the typical chick flick movie.
Girl wonders if prince charming exists, or if he is simply a fictional being living in the hopeful mind.
Girl almost finds herself settling for less than the best when suddenly appears prince charming himself. Though there is always a happy ending, the question remains throughout the movie, "Is this real?".

And it is the question that many single people ask. Is the one I am dreaming of real? Or should I lower my standards and just marry second best because of the doubt that he/she actually exists.

Standards. I've got some. And I think it is healthy for single people who desire marriage to figure out what is important to them when it comes to the person that they want to spend the rest of their lives with.
Some people would say that my standards are high. And I guess they are. It may be a lot for me to expect a guy to be big enough to put his heart on the line to tell my family about his feelings for the girl that he wants to get to know. Especially considering that I have quite a few brothers looking out for me. ;)
But this is what is important to me. Because it is the best way for me to know without a doubt that he cares about me. And having my families support and input is the best way for me to be able to see beyond my heart's feelings and to see what is really there. Right from the beginning.

If there is anything that I have learned from viewing other relationships it is this - don't stray from your standards. No matter how impossibly high they may seem to be.
Pray about them, change them only if God leads you to. Stand firm. Don't let the fear of growing old without meeting that special someone blind you. Trust Him. I promise it will be worth the wait.

Beyond the standards there are desires. Certain things that may not really matter a whole lot, are not a deal breaker so-to-speak, but are what you really hope for.

My brother-in-law Henry has an amazing testimony about how God brought his wife (my sister obvs.) into his life. And how, even though he had to wait longer than he planned, he got what he prayed for.
*If you want to listen to his story go to lighthouse podcasts and listen to the one titled "Testimony of Marriage"*
One of the things that he has taught me is not to be afraid to tell God what you want. Those things that you hope for, big or small, nothing is impossible for Him. Ask God to mold your future spouse.
It may sound selfish, but if you were a father, wouldn't you want your children to tell you what they want? We were not made to be mindless. He gave us desires.

Then turn it around. Those things that God is tugging on your heart to do/change...could that be what your future spouse is praying for? I think about this often when I feel that nudge.

God is preparing you, He is preparing me.
We can only imagine what He has in store for those who patiently wait, and seek Him in the waiting.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

He Knows

 I wrote this post for my other blog "Awakening My Heart" a couple of days ago. I had meant to share it here right away, but didn't get around to it. Life has been kind of crazy around here these past couple of weeks. I hope to get back to posting more often!

I just began a read-the-bible-in-90-days thingy.
The schedule is in chronological order, which is kinda annoying and interesting all at the same time. Annoying because you are reading a lot of the same stories over and over in the same reading. And interesting because it gives you a better perspective and deeper insight.

Anyway, because of this, I was reading like a million chapters in Job.

I was reading out loud (my mind likes to wander, and it is easier for me to grasp the meaning of the words when I am reading slowly and aloud) and the story kind of hit me differently than it ever has. Usually I find the story of Job to be, well, you know... maybe a bit boring. I mean, thirty some chapters of arguing and lamenting can do that. But this time around, I found the dialog to be captivating, and surprisingly humorous. I don't know why, but on a few occasions some of the things that were said had me laughing.

There were so many gems that I stole away while reading this book, to many to share now. But I just want to focus on one.

That is the question "why?".
Why does God allow bad things to happen to innocent people?

The issue that Job had was that he didn't understand. He didn't understand why God would allow all of these things to happen to him when he knew that he was innocent. His friends tried to convince him that the reasoning was in some big sin that Job committed in his life that God was punishing him for. But Job knew it wasn't so.

Yet, he still didn't know why. That had him in despair so deep that he cursed the day he was born and just wanted to die.

Growing up in an environment that you could call perfect, we don't really see on a first hand basis the real suffering in this world. It wasn't until later in my life that I was awakened to it and began seeing the suffering, especially that of the innocents in this world.

Reading the story of Job made me recall these times that I put faces to the suffering.

Seeing a picture of a perfect, beautiful baby boy that was killed by an illegal late term abortion. I cried for days.
Giving a hug to an elderly woman who was starving for love, without family during the holidays.
Holding the hand of a little girl who had been taken in by foster parents and seeing the reserved pain in her big sister's eyes.
Reading Dickens. The compelling way he writes his stories bring the suffering children to life, especially with the knowledge that he wrote from real life experience.
Hearing the orphan's story from a dear family that welcomed them into their home recently.

The innocent. The helpless.
The unanswered question.

Then God speaks.
He says, where were you when I made the earth?
Can you make the rain or snow? Can you tell the lightening where to go?
Who gives the birds their food? Who sees the sparrow fall?
Who is the one that numbers the hairs on your head?

Do we need to know why? Or can we just be like Job, who after God finishes speaking says "I know that you can do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from you. I have uttered what I did not understand. things to wonderful for me, which I did not know."

Can we have faith enough to offer up the suffering of other's to God and then trust Him to know?

He is holding the innocent along with the answers to all of our questions.
He holds all of our lives close to His heart.

For me, it is enough to know that God's got this.
To know that He can do everything. And He knows what He is doing, no matter what happens.

And you know, the story of Job has a happy ending.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

01/19/16

I am a proud Auntie. I will just admit that right off.
Being an auntie is just one of the best things ever! :)

This little girl is so sweet.
When she was over the other day, I took a few pictures of her.
And you know, her face... just to cute not to share!

Taylor Brianne, Auntie loves you! <3









Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The End

Mom and Dad got home safe and sound close to midnight last night. Right now they are both in the kitchen playing with Mikey. Our hearts are happy.



There is no need to give an update on the last couple of days. Since we have already told them all about it. But just know that we made the most of the last two days, though we were all SO ready for the parents to come home.

Brooke wanted to make a mystery meal for all of the boys. So we did that one day. I will finish off this series of posts with a few pictures from that day.








Monday, January 11, 2016

Twelfth and Thirteenth

The day that was twelfth we had a big birthday party at our house. We had brunch and then spent the afternoon visiting, relaxing, shopping (online... for snowmobiles and cars), baby cuddling and what-not.



We ended the day off with a big birthday supper and birthday cake. 
And haircuts, can't forget the haircuts. ;)



Yesterday I did not take a single picture. Not a one.
This Sunday all of the kids had socks on in church. Though I did notice that one child had a hole in his sock and another was wearing mismatched socks. But eh, at least their feet were warm.

After church we went to Dairy Queen again. We all laugh at how confused people look when we walk into the restaurant. I mean, I can understand. Two adult women with three teenagers and seven kids in tow. But I was still surprised at how much more people stared at us then usual. Which you know is already a lot. ;)
For fun Zach kept track of the amount of people that stared at us, twenty was his final number. He also  reported that one person mentioned that they were wanting to ask if we were a school group.

We had originally planned on doing an activity with the kids when we got home. But then ditched that plan to just relax. That is what Sundays are for anyway. :)

One more day!! Excited to see you!!! 



Saturday, January 9, 2016

Eleventh

Today, your birthday Dad! And Joey's too. We are glad that you got to spend your birthday in sunny Mexico... but we missed you especially today!

Joey's request for breakfast was cinnamon buns (sorry, we never did overnight any to you... ;). "Breakfast" ended up being at around 11, forgot how long they take to make, oops! But I think everyone would agree that it was worth the wait!





It was Mikey's day to open his gift. This was the last of them! I speak for everyone when I say "Thank you for all of the gifts"!
Mikey loves to chew on his new car.










Grandma and Grandpa came over for lunch today. We had Becca and her kids over also. I think Eli enjoyed their visit the most. He was stuck to them like glue the whole day. :)



Grams was so sweet to bring us flowers!



Joey asked for a picnic, so in the afternoon we kinda sorta had one around the table.
It's all about the food for boys anyway right?!? ;) 




We had fun with these two!!
(Caleb and Zach were missing from this picture because they were babysitting for Josh and Becca.)



Mikey was SO happy today.
Like this face kind of happy. <3
He loves it when Jesse gives him rides on his car.



After the grandparents left, we ate a supper of perogies and sausage (that boy knows how to pick his meals!) and we iced cookies for dessert. 







The weather has turned really cold here! So, soak up those last few days of sunshine!!
Hope you are still having a blast!! Miss you!

Tenth

Ahhh! I am getting behind on these updates!! The last of this week has been busy! But it is a good busy, because we have been able to spend time with the people that we love. 

On this day, we babysat the grandkids so Becca could take a nap. Little Taylor decided not to give mommy any sleep the night before. I spent the morning cleaning the house with the kids while Ker cuddled with Tay. 



Mid-afternoon Jojo and her kiddos came over for a visit. I gave haircuts, and then we played games together. We were so happy to have them come and visit! (cause, you know we love them lots!)








Our sweet visitors were so sweet to leave us these sweet treats!
They were gone within like two seconds of opening the package. ;)





Lastly, here to make you homesick are some memories from Christmas. ;)
We miss you, we miss you... we miss you!!!

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Ninth

The big story for this day was that it was the last school day in the quarter. Since we had to skip yesterday's school work, we were doubled up today trying to get caught up so they could finish and receive their goal incentive. You would be proud of how hard they worked to get it done!

Nathan was relieved to learn that he did not have to be the last one to open his gift. Poor thing did not have any time to play his game today, but he likes it! ;) There were several people (who's names will not be mentioned) that gathered around the minion operating table to entertain themselves. :)


Mikey has been eating and eating and eating and he still manages to be hungry all the time. I think he must be growing!? Or maybe it takes lots of energy to be so cute!



Jesse and I brought tractors out to the bins for Josh. When we got back we had a pizza party with the kids to celebrate getting to the half-way mark in school!







Ker and I put our feet up after making/cleaning up the party mess...


Four more days till you come home! 
We are still having a blast, but miss you more every day! 
Love you!!