Ramblings for your Wednesday afternoon

Did you all have a wonderful 4^th of July, we had a great weekend and holiday!  Here are just a few ramblings of things that have happened in the past few weeks.

-We had our VBS about 2 weeks ago.  Our theme for this year was “The Race”, done in like a Nascar theme.  We had the best time, Josh and I did the music this year and had a blast with the kids.  We have such an amazing staff that can come up with some wonderful ideas.  Our old children’s pastor, youth pastor and pastor all helped with coming up with the lessons for each night.  Scott (our youth pastor) well God has just blessed him with such an amazing artistic ability, he build our set for VBS each year and it looks so good!  We had 3 children give their lives to Christ that week!! Amen!

-Yesterday marked the day the boys and I were driving from Florida to Mississippi, Josh and his dad had already made the trip the day before.  I just think how encouraging it is to see how far God has taken us.  We have been through some really rough patches over the past 2 years but He has shown us so much and has allowed us to grow in ways I don’t think would have happened if we had not made this move.  We are still praying for some things…like a house J but if there is one thing we have learned is that God has a plan and things will happen when they are suppose to happen and we just need faith to trust that!

-Last week I got to put in my notice for work and I am beyond the moon.  Here is one example that God answers prayers and when He speaks He has a plan.  In that blog is where I felt God was saying it was time to come back home with the boys but it was not quite time yet.  And now things have worked out so that I can, things will be tight but it is so worth it to be able to be home with the boys and do what I feel I was made to do.  I can’t wait to spend the day with Taylor and to drive Caleb to and from school. That is still a hard one for me to swallow, Caleb and school but I think I am getting a bit better with it…ok not really but let’s pretend to help me feel a bit better J

-The boys went to see Cars 2 with one of their buddies Nikolas, and they all had the best time.  It was a pretty funny movie, not as good as first but still cute.  At one point Taylor asked when the movie was going to start and Nikolas said “when you see cars, then the movie has started”. Oh the logic of kids

-We went to a friend’s house yesterday and had a cookout.  They made ribs, pasta salad, potato casserole, roasted corn and a cake but there was also watermelon, pie that I made and cucumbers, you would have thought we were feeding an army but it was so yummy!  We went swimming, the boys jumped on the trampoline…I did not try that one too many people there to watch.  And then we headed out to see the fireworks.  We had such a great time, the boys did not want the day to end.  I feel so blessed to have this family in our lives right now.  Beverly has become such a wonderful friend to me these past few months.  One thing that I have learned recently is that God puts people in your life just when you need them, some are there for a season or two and some are there for a lifetime.  I think this is one of those lifetime ones J

-I am really starting to believe Caleb may become a preacher one day.  As we were on our way out to see the fireworks the boys were talking about sins, God and Jesus.  Well Taylor asked why Jesus died and Caleb told him for our sins, that is when Taylor asked what sins were so we explained that one.  Then Caleb said that Jesus died so we would go to heaven and see Him.  Taylor then said that he did not want to go to heaven yet, Caleb said you do want to go to heaven, not right now but you do or you will go to the devil and you DO NOT want to go there J Josh and I just grinned and Taylor just said Oh…!

-I almost forgot on Saturday we, and when I say we I mean Josh’s dad and Josh, set up the redneck slip n slide.  We had some friends over and went to slipin and slidin and had the best time.  Last year Taylor was not too sure but this year he was all about it and even climb the hill that the slide is on.  This slide will bring out the kid in everyone!  Well I hope you had a great 4^th of July weekend and I pray you have a joyous week!!

just love cute little boys in goggles!

Taylor was not happy about this

5 Random thoughts from this week

Ok so it is drawing near the end of the week and I thought it would be kinda of neat to give you my top 5 things that have been on my little brain. J

1)      The other day as I was driving home from work I was listening to K-Love and I heard a quote that really spoke to me and I loved it.  It is from Louie Giglio and he spoke about this at this years Passion conference (would love to go to one of those) and he said “Why do we say small prayers to such a Big God”.  At first I was like what all these things matter to him but then when I dug a little deeper I thought about how sometimes I just give Him the small things and try to take care of the bigger things myself, does anyone else do this?  Also I thought that something small to me might be big to you and vice versa.  I was talking to Josh about this last night and he gave a great analogy he said to us driving to the gas station is not a big deal but to a 15 year old who just got his permit it could be.  So this has been something I have been pondering about.

2)      I registered Caleb for kindergarten; yep that was a big step for me.  I did feel like a bad mom when I found out that day that you could bring your child with you to meet the teachers and yeah I did not do that.  But I got there handed her my papers and forms, she just check that I had all my stuff and said well that’s it….Wait, what that is it I told her there should be something big for me cause this was a momentous thing for me J  She just smiled and said it is for a lot of moms J

3)      Do any of you deal with insecurity, surely not?  Just kidding.  But this thing with insecurity has good and bad days.  Some days I can just be positive and not let it get me down but there are others days where I just see things and it just crumbles me.  I do know that God is walking/helping me through this every step of everyday and I am so thankful that I have that.  My friend Emily posted this verse awhile back and I just try and recite this when my insecurity wears it ugly head.

4)      Four the past 3 weeks a friend of mine and me have been going to this boot camp fitness thing to help jump start us to “trying” to be more active.  Whew I really wish you all could see us we are a sight to see.  I did not realize how out of shape I was until I was asked to jog!  Man ol’ mighty!  Well this past week we worked on our glutes and can I just tell you how bad my butt is hurting right now, I can barely sit my muscles hurt so bad.  Ok so this is nothing really big just thought I could give you all a laugh J

5)  Prayer! That has been the thing I have done and needed the most. I know we are suppose to always pray but for some reason this past couple weeks it has been the thing I have needed to do the most of. And the thing is that I actually don’t know what I am praying for I am just praying. We are praying for us a house of our own. We are praying for me to be able to stay home or be there as much as I can, cause has you might have read before that I feel God calling me to be at home again or just being able to just be there for my boys more…don’t know when or how but I do feel that call. We have had several opportunities fall through and some more possibly becoming available. We want to make sure we get into the house that God wants us in, not just the first one that becomes available. Both finding a house and me hopefully getting to spend more time home with the boys are going to have to be a God thing. But he has shown us that he can do amazing things with situations that can seem hopeless. We know he has a plan, I guess more than anything we need to pray for peace in that knowledge. It’s hard to wait on someone else, even when it’s God. I am waiting to hear that small maybe big voice from my Savior!

I pray you all are having a great and joyous week, I know we are!  Things are still uncertain but one thing for sure is that I have a wonderful Savior!!! 

Bonus:  One of my favorite songs right now is from Casting Crowns “Glorious Day”, it is helping prepare my heart for Easter!  Check it out  J

"Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” ~Galatians 6:4