Five years ago, in May of 2006, Britt and I were living the American Dream...
We lived in a beautiful house in what most considered the "best" school district around...
We both drove brand new cars
Went on the finest of vacations when we desired to
Made plenty of money
and had a beautiful two year old little boy....
Life was good......
So we thought....
But, God had a different plan for us....
He wanted us to take all those things that we considered our "happiness" and give them up!
The house, the cars, the vacations, the money......
He wanted them all!
And not only did He want our "things...."
But, He wanted "us" as well.
Five years ago, Britt and I had to come to a painfully difficult decision...
Do we sell it all and follow Him.... or do we live the American Dream and ignore His call?
It didn't take long for us to reach a decision...
We knew we had to follow Him.
So there it all began...
It's hard to believe it's been five years already!
The road has been very difficult and long....
But, the peace and the rewards from following Him are too bountiful to express.
Britt finishes school in a couple of weeks!
We feel like we're kind of closing a chapter of our lives now....
It's a bittersweet feeling.
The anxiousness has already crept in as to what the Lord will do with us next!
A special thanks to all those who have supported us and prayed for us along the way.
We couldn't have made it without your love and encouragement!

As I was saying earlier, the last five years have been such a difficult, yet fulfilling journey. We haven't had the opportunity to have much time away or go anywhere to rest our wearisome souls... But, recently God blessed us with a beautiful getaway with our family and my parents.
It was so awesome to be able to just pause for a moment and relish in His Glory....

Thought I'd share the photos from our trip....
Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Ok, so this is by no means complete,

but look at what I've started in Maggie's room!

I've had this in my head for so long now and

finally got the nerve to do it!

I plan to add berries, made out of fabric and velcro,

to the center of the flowers

so that they can actually pick them from the tree.

I will also be adding flowers, a pickett fence,

a blue bird on the clothes line pole,

and other fun stuff!

You can't see her kitchen set in the pictures either,

but I'm going to paint a window

over her kitchen sink and add real shutters too!

Such fun and the kids are already having a ball

playing with the clothes line and mailbox!

Tonight, I know they played for atleast an

hour with just the mailbox alone:)

Crazy Hair Day at AWANA!!

I love being a mom....

To be able to wake up every morning,

knowing that I have these two beautiful little blessings

to teach, love, and nurture....

beyond blessed!

my Superheroes

Look Who Came To Save The Day!!!

Never Fear! Our Super Heros are Here!

That Bug had Nothing on these Superheros!

Nate, Maggie, and Dylan

Soncatchers

"Soncatchers"

Everyone that knows me, knows that I'm always doing some kind of craft. (In my spare time, of course:) Crafts are so therapeutic to me...

But I have to be honest and say that I didn't come up with this idea on my own. My mom started making these a few years ago and I became instantly hooked! Mainly because it's something I can do without a whole lot of "thought" process while making. (Because I home school and have my kids right up under me most of the time....there is no quiet time to think about something too complicated!:) So, this craft fits perfectly at this season in my life.

I love these because of the way they reflect the sunlight. Whether you hang them in your window to enjoy indoors or you hang them in the trees outside....they are so beautiful to look at with the light dancing off them. I also started making them smaller this year so that you can hang them in your Christmas Tree! I can imagine how beautiful they will be with the twinkling lights from the tree hitting them.

Also, we've never had a name for them until this year and I thought it was time that we called them something other than, "hangydangy's or you know, those things you hang up with mirrors on them???." Lol. So, we came up with the name, "Soncatchers." Seems so fitting doesn't it? Since they reflect the light that our God gives us...perfect..Soncatchers it is!:)

"Then Jesus spoke to them again saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 8:12

Just a Closer Walk With Thee....

I often wondered what exactly it was that Paul suffered from on a daily basis throughout his ministry.....


"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." (Paul speaking)......


Was it an illness, some sort of handicap...depression? No one really knows but my heart has always ached for him knowing he suffered not only for the Gospel of Christ... beatings, ridicule, imprisonment, torment....but knowing he also suffered on a daily basis from some other type of discomfort or torment as well!


I find myself thinking about Paul alot lately. I, too, have been suffering from a "thorn in my flesh" for some time now. There have been so many times lately that I've wanted to give up, quit pushing through it, wash my hands from it...but then I think about Paul.... here's a man who loved the Lord so much that he persevered through all the beatings and torment that most men could only imagine! Then on top of that, he had the hindrance of this "thorn in his flesh" he had to painfully endure on a daily basis! How did he do it?! Where was he getting his will to go on?!



I think we all know where Paul drew his faith and strength from... Under the circumstances that he lived and the things he endured, his will to fight had to come from the One and ONLY Living God, our Lord, Jesus Christ! And we know this because we find him crying out to the Lord for strength on numerous occasions, walking in obedience regardless of his circumstances, and steadily preaching the Gospel wherever and whenever God called....that shows faith...which in turn God supplied the strength he needed to get him through!



I long for just an ounce of that faith right now...the road seems so long...and my feet feel so weary.....

I find comfort today in this song....

"I am weak but thou are strong;

Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to thee.

Thro' this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee.

Just a closer walk with thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be."