The Little Carpenter Man!

Did you know that Josiah has plans to be a carpenter?

He is such a little stud!

If you need a hand just give us a call!

It has been too long and I know it. Everytime I sit down to the computer

to punch out my thoughts, a little person follows me and thinks its funny to try

and type just like mommy...Well this is the only time of the day (10:02 pm) that

I have a moment to do this without those fingers that I love so much.

Lately, I have been dwelling on the first 8 verses of James chapter 1.

It has been so good for my heart to meditate on and I have memorized

so much of it just by going over these 8 verses! It has been a while

since I have felt the Holy Spirit directing me to camp out in one book

or chapter for a time and it is such a wonderful feeling to be directed again!

So far, this chapter

has been been like balm to my weary heart and very timely.

I pray that my heart blesses yours, and that you find

yourself searching for what God wants to mature you in.

I spent most of the Fall floundering in my faith and consumed by my circumstances that I failed in the trial God had placed me in. My heart was weary while doing good and I just wanted to flee. I don't know where, but I just wanted out of life. Nothing was fixing the problem, but I knew the answer was time with the Lord. My works were not working

and my "supposed" time with Him in the morning was not working either.

Both were superficial due to my heart developing a callous. So, through much whining and complaining, and complete transparency with God and my husband, I ran to the Lord in true repentance over missing all that He wanted to teach me and mature me in.

When James speaks about being "perfect lacking nothing" he is referring to the mature believer not a "perfect person." I was more disappointed about not being a mature believer than the thought of not being perfect. I don't care about being perfect, I just want to be a God pleaser in every way. I know that perfection can only be achieved through God and by the time I spend with Him. But, without surrender and true brokenness I cannot be effective for the kingdom and grow into a mature believer.

I am leaning on the everlasting arms of my Savior in this walk of life. It is not always easy or physically restful at times, but He always gives me what I need and removes that which I don't or can't handle. My job is to rely on Him and to ask for wisdom, because He says, "[He] gives to all liberally and without reproach..."Jms 1:5

As I ask Him daily for His wisdom and throughout the day, I find that He is answering in every aspect of life! WOW! What a concept. Why didn't I do this more regularly before? {grin}

I love Him with complete resolve and I pray, abandonment. I do desire to be at that place where I do not love my life, but I aim to lose my life that I might gain Christ!

So please pray for me as I continue to pursue Him and pray for the Lord to give you

His heart for this life that we only have one chance to live! Let's live it for His glory!

Redeem the time! God bless!

Christmas 2008

The shot above is of us on the Christmas Train.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas together as a family. We made it to an estate near by where they run a train during the holidays for the kids. There is a Santa near the middle of the ride who hands out teddy bears to all the kids. It was fun and delightful for the kiddos!

Picture on right:Playing in the leaves after the train ride!
Picture on left: The kids and mom having a good time together at the
outreach.
The picture below: Jordan was sooo happy after his 4th cookie of the day! Thanks mom for not looking!!

We held a Christmas outreach in our

local community hosted

by Calvary Chapel Cambridge.

It was such a delight for all who came.

Everyone helped and contributed in some way.

Hearts were touchand all

enjoyed the food and fellowship.

God was glorified in every way.

The week before Christmas we took Maddie and Josiah into the city to see Beauty and the Beast as a surprise along with Georgina, the daughter of some good friends of ours. The kids were so surprised and excited. Jordan was just a bit too young and would've cried through the show so we left him with a friend of ours.

the picture above: We took Maddie and Josiah to see

Beauty and the Beast with their
friend Georgina.
The picture below right: The four of us
in front of the Cambridge Christmas tree.
Nothing like NYC! But it will have to do!

Christmas Eve was spent with friends from the fellowship and watching It's a Wonderful Life.

Being reminded of the gift we have in our Savior and in the life He gave us is so important. May we never forget this and live life for the glory of the Lord!

Our Christmas day was spent here at the house with just us! It was a first for us and we really enjoyed it! The kids played with their new toys and loved having all of our attention to themselves. We are truly enjoying family and the joy of the Lord!

*-

We are looking forward to all that the Lord has in store for us in the New Year. We have grown so much in the last two years here in England we can't imagine what else He has for us! WOW, what an adventure! Thank you Lord! We pray this finds you just as blessed and enjoying your family members, those in Christ and by birth. Love you all!

An afternoon tea.

I hosted a fellowship at my house in Oct. This is the

second of many I pray that will naturally develop

into a time of devotional and Bible study time.

This is the setup after the Devonshire cream and jam were consumed as

well as the finger sandwiches. I had made 16 scones; only

4 were left!

Our intimate group of ladies on a Thursday afternoon.

Tiff, Michelle, Kate, and Caroline.

Kate, Michelle and me on a walk after tea!

I had the privilege of being a part of and serving in healthy women's Bible studies for the past 10 years. I came here imagining that we would head in the direction of starting one here sooner than later. I knew it would start small, but it would be in His timing or not at all.

Of course with with the challenges of life being as they are, I have waited.

Well, being here for almost 2 years in Feb. of 09, I can tell you first hand that having a formal study has not been on the agenda. As Joey and I have sought the Lord, we see the need to draw the brethren together outside of a formal setting and create an opportunity for fellowship.

Joey is faithfully teaching the Word to the body, but we see the need for outside friendships to be made. Of course no one can force relationships, but we can create atmosphere that encourages it. So that is the heart behind these hang-out times.

It is such a joy to look around a room and see people engaging in conversation. There is always the nervous twitch in my stomach when I think about having people over and wondering if I will have to carry the conversation. Of course that is stupid and the Lord always takes care of it.

That day flowed so nicely and there was great joy shared by all.

I love these ladies and the ones who were not there as well. My heart

desires to be a blessing to all, but to encourage the

woman in their walks with God especially. What a wonderful

opportunity to serve the Lord this way! It truly is amazing.

Little somethings...

My amazing family of five!!!

I know...Jordan wasn't happy, but the

rest of us were!

I am praisin the Lord for every good and perfect gift!

I love it when I wake up and find myself thanking the Lord

for the life I live.

My last post was from a heart that has been very overwhelmed

and drowning in a sea of self-pity.

I allowed my circumstances to dictate

how I was feeling and my heart was failing.

My husband took me aside and shared his heart with me

and encouraged me to get alone with the Lord.

Taking his advice, I found my soul refreshed and

ready for the days ahead.

My circumstances have not changed, but my perspective has.

Instead of viewing certain things in my life as a burden,

I now see them as opportunities for the Lord to use me.

To perfect for His glory and eternal purpose.

I have the chance to pour into three little people

and teach them the ways of the Lord. I have the chance to teach them to

read and write and why things float and why the elephant has wrinkles.

I get to love my husband more everyday and serve him in all the ways the Lord puts on my heart. I am a blessed woman who misses so much by pushing these things aside so often.

I hate regrets and pray I will have fewer and fewer the older I get.

I truly want to be a woman after God's own heart.

So I will continue to pursue His will and trust in His ways.

I will not let down and give up when the pressure is on.

I will trust in His promises...He who has begun a good work in me

will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!

Our God is an AWEsome God! Don't you forget it!

Blessings to you and yours on this fine day.

Are you overewhelmed?

There are days when I wonder if life will ever give me a break; if I will forever be doing what I am doing for the rest of my life. Living at a pace that I believe God never intended for His creation to abide by. It is in those moments, especially lately that I can then fall back on how good my God is. How good He is to remind me that we do have an eternal rest that we can have right now. There is nothing out of control for Him. There is nothing to difficult for Him. He often times sits back and waits for us to realize that we can't do it on our own and need Him to sustain us through lifes ups and downs and every day hastle that seem daunting at times.

I yearn for sweet fellowship and sancuary with my Lord that I can't get from this life. The place of escape that allows me to be recharged and geared up for the next day of ministry. The next day of homeschooling with a busy 17 month old. The next day of serving. The next day of loving my family and friends so much that it hurts. I know that my God cares. I know that He holds me with His righteous right hand.

I know, as my mom so faithfully shared with me just the other day from Deuteronomy 33:12 that,

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long;

And he shall dwell between His shoulders."

I am His beloved and He is mine! He shelters me in the most difficult times and reminds me daily. I just need to take the time to hear Him and rest in His promises. And I am covered by His ever loving, secure arms! Can't you hear His heartbeat in this verse? I can, and I love that I can be in that secure place even when the world is in shambles. Even when my heart is overwhelmed (which it has been as of late) I will run to the Rock that is higher than I!

Oh Lord, I need your mercy and your grace. May I rest in the shadow of your wings. May I not look at life as something to get through, but as something to embrace as an opportunity to know You more as I serve others who come into my sphere. Thank You for giving me life and that I can have it more abundantly!

You are so wonderful and gracious! Praise His name and be blessed!

Okay, so this is where we analyze the 15 month old as he enters the "I want your cell phone now" phase. All of my kids have gone through this stage of life because they have a parent like most who is on it alot! So it is natural to see this and want one too. Of course this want is not limited to the cell only, but the house phone as well. So to accomidate I remove one battery thinking that will cool his desire for a while until he figures out there is no beeping or flashing lights on the phone. At least he's descent enough to find another interest for a short while til he comes around for a snack and the phone that I have now attached to my ear! Don't put anything past little people...they understand more than they can communicate.

But It makes me laugh to think that I never went through this phase because I didn't even know what a cell phone was.

My poor mom never had to deal with this tantrum phase, God bless her!

Anyhow, thought I'd share a mother-son moment with the #3 child who wants his way now...remember that this is right before bedtime to be fair. He is a very good little man, but with a sin nature like all of us. :)

Have fun!