Lately in our families, it seems that there have been a multitude of hardships. My sister-in-law's parents are both having major health issues. Her mom has brain cancer and her dad just had to have a liver transplant. My sister and her husband are trying to adopt their nephew and have come across all kinds of obstacles. My dad is having some health issues as well. He has some real sinus issues that have been causing loss of sleep as well as having problems with his back that puts him in horrible pain at times.
My immediate family is no exception to these hard times. I have been struggling with health issues for the past year. We recently found out that a house that we own in NC had been dumped by our property manager and we had squatters living in there trashing the place. Even our dog joined in the fun by getting pregnant, losing the puppies and then needing to be spayed to prevent any further complications from a mass they found on her stomach.
I am writing these things not to bring on a pity party for myself or to conjure up sympathy from anyone that may be reading this. I am simply trying to create a picture of what the lives of so many people look like who live on the earth in this present day and age. I know that so many others out there can relate to our difficult times. It often seems like trouble never comes alone - it always brings company with it. As the saying goes. "When it rains it pours."
Lately however, the Lord has been bringing to mind that His blessings also come in showers. When I think about all the good things that I have in my life and all the different ways that God has seen fit to bless me, suddenly all these problems don't seem to make such a big pile. They are still there, but they don't seem so impossible to handle. Satan would try and use these troubling times to bring doubt and discouragement to my family and me, but the Lord would have us lean all the more heavily on Him as He showers us with His grace, His strength and His peace.

This brings to mind the words of a great hymn written by Daniel Whittle.

There shall be showers of blessing: this is the promise of love;
There shall be sesons refreshing, sent from the Savior above.
There shall be showers of blessing, precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys, sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing: send them upon us O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing, come and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing: Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we're confessing, Now as on Jesus we call!
Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round me are falling, but for the showers we plead.

Thanks be to God that we can receive His abundant blessing in the midst of trials and pain! His grace is truly sufficient for us.

"My grace is sufficient for you. For My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Youth Advance

Dave, Julia and Jim had the privilege of attending Youth Advance 09 this past weekend. They had a wonderful time. I was so happy to hear that they not only had a fun time but they all came back having been either encouraged or convicted by the great teachings that they heard.
I am very thankful that there are people that desire to invest their time in building up our youth and drawing them closer to our Heavenly Father.

Retreat

This past weekend I had the luxury of joining the ladies in my care group for a time of retreat. A lovely couple in our church graciously opened up their guest house for us to stay in and even provided a map of their farm so that we could roam around and get alone with God.
What a refreshing time it was! We heard some great teachings from Carolyn Mahaney and were able to have several times of worship thanks to Amanda and Kjirstin. We even had a session of working out with Cheryl Wood. I learned a lot about exercise and a lot about the muscles that I didn't know existed! I had trouble getting in and out of chairs and up and down the steps for the next 24 hours!
Best of all, though, was the awesome time alone that I got to have with the Lord. As you can imagine, in a house full of kids the quiet moments are few and far between other that the early morning hours that I have set aside for my quiet times. To actually be able to spend several hours at a time talking to and hearing from God was simply amazing.
It was a beautiful thing to be able to pray with and for the dear friends that I have made in our care group. They are wonderful sisters in Christ whom I have grown close to over the last few years and will cherish their friendship for eternity.
I am so thankful for my husband being willing to release me to take this much needed break and also for my kids for letting mom go for a whole weekend!

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!"

Blog challenge

Two weeks ago I posted that I was "blog challenged" since I only posted a total of 12 times in 2008. So far, it looks like I am improving since this will be post #13 this year!
So, today I am thankful that I have the freedom to write down the things that God is teaching me so that I can share them with others. I may not have the gift of writing that some have, but the Bible says that we should be "living epistles" and I want to be faithful to share the wonderful truths that He is revealing to me through His Word and through the many life lessons taught simply by living out the life that He has called me to.

A good book

I love a good book! As long as I can remember I have loved to read. Many times I remember my parents either laughing at me or getting frustrated with me because I would totally tune out everything and everyone when I had my nose in a book.
Some of my favorite books growing up were the Bobbsey Twins series and the Mandie books. I liked those so much, that a few years ago, my mom gave me the last 15 books in the Mandie series for Christmas so that I could pass them on to my girls to read - after I got to read them of course!
Now my girls love to read as much as I do and it brings me great pleasure to see them curled up with a good book. I have a hard time keeping enough books around to satisfy their hunger for a good story!
The problem I face now is not tuning people out while I read, but finding enough time to satisfy my own cravings for a good book! I have two places that I find time to get into a good book. Sometimes I'll take a book with me when I relax in the tub. I use this time to preview a shorter book that one of the kids wants to read. Most of the time I find myself reading in my bed after all the kids are tucked in for the night.
I get a lot of my material passed on to me from my mom who I inherited my love for reading from. Together we have found some amazing Christian authors that I hope keep writing for a long time. Among those authors are Lynn Austin, Lori Wick, Beverly Lewis and Gilbert Morris.
I'm always looking for new authors to get into, so if you have any to pass on, I would love to hear your suggestions!

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!
For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor?
Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim a recompense?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).
Romans 11:33-36 (amplified version)

Today I am reminded that I am to set an example for my children not just by my actions, but by the words that I speak to them and how I say those words. How easily a child's spirit is crushed by words of criticism spoken too often or by shaming them into feeling guilty! Each and every minute that I spend with my children or that they spend observing me in my daily life is one more minute spent in developing their character that will determine who they are for the rest of their life. If I am so intent on them always getting things right and being critical of the things that they haven't mastered yet, then I will probably be causing them to develop critical spirits. Instead, I should be praising them for the things that they do well so that they will learn to appreciate others. I should be encouraging them and building them up so that one day they will turn into someone that is full of confidence. I need to portray patience in all I do so that they will learn to be tolerant of others. I need to practice fairness so that my kids will learn to be just. I need to live out 1Corinthians 13 so that they will learn to portray love in all that they do.
I need to cherish each day that I have with my kids. I don't want to be regretting precious moments lost when they've all grown up and left home. I want them to look back at these growing up years with fondness and have wonderful memories of the good times that we had together. I pray that they will be able to look back and see how God was shaping them and molding them into exactly what He wanted them to be. I want them to grow up to be Godly men and women that one day will be faithful to pass on the Godly heritage that I am striving to pass on to them. It is only by God's wonderful grace that I can achieve such an impossible goal.

Jehovah-Jireh

Today I am thankful that God is our provider. Time and time again I have seen His hand provide in miraculous ways. As I was growing up at Beachmont, my parents were faithful to teach me that what we ask for in faith we will receive. Beachmont has always had a policy of living absolutely debt free. The camp has had to wait for different projects to be completed because they were waiting for the money to come in, but for as long as I can remember, the money always came in. I watched my parents faithfully pray for whatever the need was and time and time again the money would come in and the need would be met.
This lesson often hit home for our family personally because my parents are on the payroll at Beachmont. I remember one time specifically that our family's needs were met. We really needed a second car and my parents asked us kids to join them in praying that God would provide one for them. I remember asking my mom if it was okay to ask God for a blue car because that was my mom's favorite color. She said that she thought it was fine because nothing is too hard for our Heavenly Father. Within a few weeks (maybe less) someone delivered a Plymouth Horizon to the camp with my parents name on the title and handed them the keys. When I went out to see the car I was excited to see that it was indeed blue! That was one of many cars that people gave to my parents - always just when they needed one.
Now that I have a family of my own, I have seen God's faithful hand at work once more always providing just what we need, just when we need it. How fitting it is that one of the many names of our great God is Jehovah-Jireh which means "God will provide."
Although the economy is looking rather bleak, we can rest assured that what we ask for in faith we will receive because our God is a faithful provider. Hallelujah!

New Life

I love spring! I know that we still have over a month until spring is officially here, but I am already beginning to see the signs of the coming season. In my front yard I have daffodils starting to push out of the ground. They are only about 2 inches long, but to me that is God's promise that the seasons will change again just as He designed at the beginning of creation.
I can't wait for the tree buds to start forming, the flowers to bloom, the Robins to hop around my yard and for the baby animals to start arriving. Spring is such a beautiful picture of the new life that we can have in Jesus and I am excited to walk through yet another season filled with the beauty of new life!

Grace

Today I am thankful for the gift of God's grace. No matter what the circumstances of my life may look like, I know that God will give me the grace to walk through each day with Him by my side. I may be having a great day with my kids or maybe I am really struggling to keep up. Whether or not I feel like I can handle life on any given day, I know that by God's grace and with His help I can be the best mom/wife/person that He wants me to be.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults,in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am strong.
Yes, I love this gift of grace, but I know that God's grace is not given only when I feel like I am not strong enough physically to walk through the day, but more importantly when I am not feeling strong enough spiritually and when I am tempted to give in to sin. Whether I am battling with impatience, discontentment or pride, God has promised grace to help me run away from sin.
"Human sin is stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready to suffer to win its way." Cornelius Plantinga
Thank God for His gift of stubborn grace.

Matthew

Today I am especially thankful for my 6 year old son, Matthew. Yesterday I had the privilege of praying with Matthew as he asked Jesus into his heart. I posted just a few days ago that I was praying for the salvation of my younger 4 children and God has begun to answer those prayers. All the praise and glory goes to Him!

Homeschooling

Today I am thankful for the freedom to home school my kids. What a blessing it is to know that the teaching they are getting is grounded in the Word of God and that it will not compromise the important things that Dave and I are trying to teach them. I love being able to watch the kids excel not only academically but in character and in their walks with God.

I am very blessed to have my mom come along side of me in teaching the kids. They love the time spent over at "Grammy's" and I can tell that they are benefiting greatly from the schooling they receive there as well as the spiritual input that comes from both my mom and my dad.

Last week we took a field trip to Lancaster to learn more about the Amish people. We learned about their history and about the way that they live and why they live such simple lives. The Amish are very hard working people who seek to serve the Lord in all that they do. I think that we all could learn a lot from them.

Here are some highlights from our trip. (We took my two nephews along with us.)

Amish sleigh.


They had the cutest little lambs!

Beautiful rooster.

Enjoying the playground.

Milking the cow.

One room schoolhouse.



The kids go "Amish".

Happy Valentine's Day

Today I am thankful for my wonderful husband of almost 16 years. The only man I ever dated, the only man I ever wanted to marry, my best friend, my companion, and my one true love here on earth. The husband of my dreams, the father of our children and the one that I want to grow old with. I thank God for the precious gift of marriage and for blessing me with such a loving husband.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”
Robert Browning

My Kids

Today (and every day) I am so very grateful for my wonderful children. God has blessed me so very much with eight beautiful healthy children. Each and every one of them are very different and very special.
Julia is 14 and turning into a godly young woman. Every day I see her character becoming more like Christ and I see God cultivating in her the gentle quiet spirit of a Proverbs 31 woman. She will always be my daughter but more and more she is becoming my friend.
Jim is 13 and becoming quite a young man. He is very sensitive to my needs and loves to serve me any way he can. Over this past year I have seen God working in different areas of Jim's life and I am excited to see what God has for Jim's future.
Christiana is 11 and loves to have fun. She has a heart for God and loves to be a big sister to her younger siblings. I see God teaching her many things as she begins to change from a little girl into a young woman.
Mark is almost 10 and has been working on becoming more like Christ. He is the oldest at home on school days and is showing responsibility as the big brother.
Nathan is 8 and is a very quiet boy. He doesn't get into much trouble and he is very sensitive. While I do see evidences of grace in His life, I pray daily for his salvation.
Matthew is 6 and very passionate about everything. He likes to play with his siblings and spend time with his friends. he is very sociable. I also pray daily for his salvation.
Amanda is our love bug. She is 5 and loves to cuddle. She loves to hang out with the girls and do "girly" things. She talks about Jesus and loves to go to Sunday School, but I know that she needs salvation.
Alyssa is 3 and loves to learn. She is quite gifted musically and loves to sing. She also loves to read stories. (She has memorized the entire Dr. Seuss book Gerald McBoing Boing) I pray that she will learn to love Jesus just like her older siblings.
I love my children so much and am privileged to be raising up an army for God. I pray daily for the grace and the strength to be a Godly mother to them.
I am also looking forward to meeting my three children that are no longer with me . I know that I can rest in the knowledge that they are in the hands of our loving Heavenly Father. Soli Deo Gloria!

"Children are a blessing from the Lord...like arrows in the hands of a warrior...blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."

A Sound Mind

Today I had to go shopping for a Valentine's dinner that I am hosting for our care group. So, I packed up my five younger kids and headed to Walmart. I had my list in my hand writing down some last minute items that had to be added and then put it in the pocket of my hoodie as I braced myself against the huge gust of wind that hit me when I opened the door of the van.
I successfully navigated the parking lot with kids in tow and we all trekked back to the photo center to get some pictures developed while we shopped. Once the order for the pictures was placed I reached into my pocket to get out my carefully planned list to shop from when to my dismay I found that it was missing! What in the world was I going to do? It must have blown away when that gust of wind hit me out in the parking lot. Now I would have to rely completely on my memory which as of late has left something to be desired. ;)
Anyway, a long story short - I actually managed to get everything that was on my list without going completely crazy. So, today I am thankful that God gave me a sound mind and the ability to remember all the things that I needed.

"God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of a sound mind."

Blog challenge

So apparently I am "blog challenged". Either that or its a challenge to find the time to blog! You can pick either one, but I personally think that its both. I think I had a total of maybe 9 posts last year??!! Anyway, I've been challenged by my cousin (whether she knows it or not) to be more consistent with my blog.
I started blogging so that I could sort of journal what I've been learning - be it through quiet times or just general life lessons. Maybe I can get back on track with this blog by just posting one simple thing each time I get onto the computer. It probably won't be everyday but I will try.
I think the very best place for anyone to start sharing about anything is with expressing thanks to our Heavenly Father. Have you ever sat down and tried to list every single thing that you are thankful for? I started to but I soon ran out of both paper and time! It was definitely a good lesson in how blessed I am.
So....my first official post of 2009 is this:

I am thankful for the beautiful gift of salvation that is given to us at the high cost of Jesus' precious blood.