A Funny Faith Story

I just wrote down my little story for our church's daily Lenten devotional, so I thought I'd share it here, too, because it is one of my favorite moments from my past.  Enjoy!

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Throughout my journey as a child of God, I cannot say that there has been one, specific stand-out moment where I suddenly saw God become more than just a word.  Actually, there have been many, many instances where I've experienced our living God; speaking, acting and working in my life to remind me that He stands by me in every moment of my life.  Sometimes, they were quite moments studying His word.  Sometimes, He revealed His love to me through the comfort of a friend or family member at just the right time.

There was one moment, though, when God spoke to me in a way I never saw coming.  During college, I spent three summers working on a Christian houseboat camp on Lake Shasta called Sonshine Ministries.  I spent my summer months on the water with junior high and high school students, playing in the water, hanging out in the sunshine, ministering to the youth and worshipping our amazing God.  Every Friday morning, we would spend 3-hours in quiet time at a local park.  Just you, your Bible, something to write with.  That is it.  Sounds refreshing, right?  Well, to be honest, after a full week of water, sun early mornings and late nights, it sometimes became a time of serious temptation to lay down in the grass and sneak a nap.  

After one particularly long week, I found myself a shady spot beneath a tree.  I spread out my towel, laid down on my stomach with my Bible in front of me and began to read.  Within 30 minutes, my eyelids felt like lead curtains.  If you've felt that feeling before, you know exactly what I mean!  I can remember trying to justify my nap by thinking, "Hey, it's ok to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus, right?!"  So, I decided to open my Bible to a random spot, put my sunglasses on and pretend like I was deep into my study.  I was ready.  Ready to close my eyes- just for a little bit.  I flipped open my study Bible, without thought, and as I began to lay my head down, my eyes fell upon a verse that I will never forget.  

"Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids." Proverbs 6:4

I shot up from my seat so fast it could've made your head spin!  And then I did what I think God was doing at that moment, too- I laughed my heart out!  It was an unreal moment for me.  God, the Father of all creation, the beginning and the end… He was speaking to me!  Calling me to be present with Him in that moment.  Reminding me that He knows me, that He hears me and that He wants to be with me.  God spoke to me.

Now, as a mother of three small children, I wish I had three hours on a Friday morning to spend in the sunshine with God and His word.  But even during this busy season, God still finds His ways to speak His promises to me.  What an amazing God!

2013 in Pictures | Week Three

Our crazy January weather went from freezing (first pic) to 80 degrees!

2013 in Pictures | Week Two

Day 8- day 14.  Two weeks complete!  Maybe I can actually do this!

2013 in Pictures | Week One

Week One of my 365 project is done!  One down, 51 more to go!

Because I need one more thing to do.

For the past two (three?) years, I've started the year with a crazy, lofty goal of completing a 365 Project.  One of those beautiful photography journeys where you document each day with one (at least) photo.  I've always followed prompts, giving me the theme for the week.  The longest I've made it was until March.  Then I get overwhelmed after being backlogged for 3 days and completely give up.

So here it is, 2013, and guess what?  I'm going to try again!  Why not right?  This year, though, I don't plan on following any prompts or themes- no scrambling at 10:30pm each night to capture some kind of obscure theme such as "Windblown" or "Primal".  I'm doing it my way, on my terms, and I plan on enjoying it, documenting my family and having a lot of fun.  Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two along the way.

While I will probably only post a set weekly, rather than trying to blog daily, here is my image for Day One (and yes, I totally took it yesterday with the full intention of using it for today... cheating right from the start)!

We took the kiddies to the snow for the first time at Mount Baldy- it was such a beautiful day!  Did we have legit "snow" clothes?  Not even close.  Did my oldest totally get car sick on the way up and *almost* on the way down?  Yeah, she did.  Aside from imperfections, it was a really great day!

Tis the Season for Cookies

Well, here we go again.  I start a blog and fall swiftly and deeply in love, then my commitment begins to wane and eventually it sits here sad and ignored.  I'm sorry, blog.  I'll always come back to you.

I'm going to go ahead and pull the "it's been so busy around here card", because in truth, it really has.  My favorite months of the year are October, November and December; I feel like they FLY past me, though.  Just when I think I've got some control of my life, I turn around and Christmas is over and the decorations are already down.  2013 is days away.  It's madness.

While I'd love to present a beautiful timeline of how the last month has gone, that would require so much more energy than the last few days have left me with.  With the whirlwind of Christmas with three children + a good ol' fashioned sinus infection, I'm fairly spent.

So, I'll choose to share a day of gingerbread cookie making with Grandma Pam; because after all, next to celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, the second most important thing about Christmas is cookies creating memories with family!

 Inevitably, when baking with littles, there is flour everywhere.  It doesn't get a whole lot cuter than flour on the end of my little guy's nose.

A little too young to bake- she is an excellent supervisor.

Didn't see this one coming, did you?  I have no idea why he wasn't wearing pants.  It's not unusual, though.  Not for him.  Not in our house.

She made this one especially for daddy!

That sums up our holidays fairly well... we spent a lot of time together, visited family, created memories and celebrated.  The Christmas season is my absolute favorite!  While I might be a *little* burnt out at this point, it won't be long before I'm longing for Christmas music on the radio and sparkling lights on our Christmas tree.  Only 363 more days until next Christmas!

A Day in the Life

So I've been planning this blog post in my head for quite some time, but I took FOREVER to upload the pics to my computer and edit them.  Ah well.

I've seen bloggers and photographers do this little "day in the life" project where they are very intentional about keeping their camera on their hip for the day to capture all the small details of their day.  I love this!  So, in September I went for it!

Unlike Ke$ha, I do not wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy (nor do I have a $ in my name, but I digress).  Rather, I wake up to the sound of my older two busting out of their bedroom and heading straight towards us.  

 On a normal morning, Will is usually holding something that he isn't supposed to have and that I didn't think he could reach.  1st thing any mom of boys knows is that they will always find a way to get it if they want it.  Kate has some intense bed head most mornings- this particular morning seemed to be an exception, with just one teensy strand escaping the restraint of two hair bands.  Most mornings, she already has 16 questions prepared to ask me within the first three seconds of my eyes opening.  "Why did God make us special?"  "Why are there blue pillows on the couch?"  "Can we buy a Barbie today?"  BecauseHelovesusverymuch.BecauseIlikeblue.No.

About this time, the ruckus wakes up the tiny one.

She doesn't wake up feeling like P. Diddy, either.  She's her mama's girl.  The utter confusion on her face cracks me up.

 I usually grab her and bring her back to our room for a little family snuggleage so I can put off the inevitable need to get out of bed, change diapers and feed children.  It doesn't last long, but it sure is sweet while it does.

This was all before Kate had started school for the Fall, so there is sweet playtime, cartoons and extended jammie wearing!  I read an article, maybe from Pinterest, about things you should say to your child to make them feel great.  One of those things was, "I love to watch you play!"  And honestly, I really do.  I love their imaginative spirit and their ability to make a dollhouse into a whole different world every day.  Kate usually wants a playmate- someone to play with her and put crazy voices to her dolls; Will is impressively independent in his playtime- he's happy to sit and make up his own little situations.  They are so fun!

Eventually I have to get out and get groceries before my children waste away (yeah right), so we get our act together.  I'm learning each day to pick battles... Kate wanted SO badly to wear last year's Christmas dress.  My first reaction, in my head, was No!  That's a nice dress!  But really, if it gives her that much joy, then she might as well get some extra wear out of it and enjoy it.  So, satiny red dress it was.  Commence rolling all over the couch, floor, backyard as we scramble to get ready to head out the door.  Next stop, Target!

I know, baby girl!  I love Target, too!  That's my girl.

 On this particular day, we made a stop at Starbucks before we started our shopping.  I like to think that Kate was giving thanks for a mommy who said YES to the red dress and YES to chocolate milk and a shared scone.  Lately, if Kennedy is in a happy enough state in her carseat, I put her seat in the big part of the cart, thinking it will take up so much room that my bill at the end of the shopping trip won't be way more than I thought it was going to be.  Did you know you don't need much room in your cart at all to spend too much money?  Hmm.

And they're off!

Then its home for lunch and nap time.  Beautiful, beautiful nap time.

This is how Kennedy spends a solid portion of the day.  My left arm is jello by bedtime (for some reason, I just can't feel coordinated carrying her on the right).

This guy wakes up and heads straight for the toothbrush.  You've got to admire his commitment to dental hygiene!  It is not too long after that that it's time to make dinner.  Dude goes in the high chair, tiny goes in the bumbo and big sis bounces back and forth entertaining them both while I cook.

How stinking cute are they?  Honestly?

That is about where the camera got detached from my hip and I ended the pictures... but it was a fun little project that I'll have to repeat!  Our schedule is so different now that the big girl is back in school, so our day looks quite different!

I just had to add this one for no good reason.  Its just adorable.  And below, Kennie-bean has started solids!  I put it off for as long as I could, but she was starting to drool at the mere sight of a spoon, so I figured it was time.

So that is the update!  Feeling much better now that I have that done!  Phew!