Trying to look cute

With Mr.J's new job he's getting home in the early afternoon. 

i for one, LOVE THIS!

i have been challenged though in how i greet him. i want to be ready- emotionally, and physically. So, part of my challenge is trying to look presentable when he gets home.

It is SO much easier to remain in the sweat pants or baggy jeans, and I know he still loves me on those days... But still...

So- I may not post everyday (ok, I know i won't 😊) but here is an outfit I put together in hopes to look cute for my man upon his coming home. . .

It's cold today and I want to be comfy, still. Enter: leggings! (If you don't have any, get some!!) 

Despite my former thinking, you CAN look presentable and still be comfortable!

😊

New

Ever stop and think about how great "New" is?
We have recently started a new year and so many people are looking forward in anticipation of what 2014 will bring them...
We started a new week, (a couple days ago i know, but just go with me...)
A new day...
Each is refreshing and full of hope and wonder.
You get a new shirt, it just feels good....
Change around the furniture in your room and a sudden "ahhh" escapes your lips as you enjoy the new layout.
New is all around us. The new year brings many things to people, resolutions and such, but i am not one for those. We arent promised tomorrow- not saying you should not set goals and plan ahead.... those are all very good things! Just dont get caught up in the hype of it all.
God's mercies are new every morning and so for me, that is how i am looking at the year!
Each day i want to wake with thanksgiving and to be about what God wants me to do this day. Each breath offers a newness of life since we are not promised the next one. So what am i going to do about it?

This new year has already been full of ups and downs- my car broke down on the second and after a couple of evaluations, will wipe our savings to fix- things will be tight for a little while, BUT, GOD is good! We have it to pay the mechanic and i will soon have a car once again!
Even in the midst of this, GOD was good to provide a temp car for us to be able to use, family with AAA to help cut the towing costs, weather that had Mr.J at home so i could use his truck when i needed to go somewhere and the fact that we had set a little money aside so we wont go into more debt to fix my car. Even in this down, GOD has been SO good!!

On an up side- Mr.J got a new job!! (Gonna brag on my man for a min, b/c well i can! And i am so proud of him!!!) Several months ago we were approached by a couple who own and operate a herb farm not farm from our church. In joking the husband says that if things ever get slow they had a position they thought Mr.J would be good at... Months pass and work is all over the place for Mr.J... Really busy, then promising with no follow through, some frustrating jobs and  lots of prayer later the couple asked Mr.J again. . .
Mr.J and i prayed for a while on this. He sought counsel from parents, pastors and other friends- and we had them all praying too! There are pros and cons to staying in business for oneself as there are for working for someone else. After a LOT of prayer and seeking God's direction, Mr.J agreed to take the job. The official job title will be "Steward" He will be an overseer, or manager in the greenhouse. The couple he will be working for a Christians and very sweet! We think very highly of them and know that God will encourage and bless Mr.J even in just getting to work there- but also as he learns from Stan. (the husband) Mr.J is excited and a little nervous in starting this new adventure. There are still a lot of unknowns that will have to just wait and be found out as time goes on. Since this is a new position for both them creating and Mr.J working it, things will look different day to day. (Flexibility will be key!) i know that Mr.J will do a great job here! i am so blesses that he would leave something that he is comfortable in b/c he knows this is where God is leading him, and this will be a better way to provide for us! If you think about him, pray for him!
Pray as he learns the ins and outs of what he will be doing, that he will get the hang of the terminology and paperwork, that the people he works with would see Christ- (this is going to be a huge mission field!) that the farm would grow in his being there, that the S's would be blessed and encouraged by him working there, and that Mr.J himself would be encouraged, that God would grow him and pull him even closer to HIS heart!

My adventure for this time is to be a THM! If you have heard of it, you know i am talking about a new way of eating. If i follow their suggestions, i will hopefully loose some of this weight i have packed on in the last few years!
Trim Healthy Mama, or THM, was written by two sisters who had set out on their own dietary journey back in their teens... They were like pendulums going with the newest fad diets that surfaced every so often. After years of research and study, God showed them in His Word what He thinks about eating. Though their inspiration is based on what they feel God showed them- it is NOT law or mandate in His Word that you MUST eat this way. It is not a fad and something to do b/c everyone else is- you must do what you feel God has called you to do. i borrowed the THM book from some friends of mine and did a lot of research of my own- and it makes sense to me. The science behind eating a certain way so that your body burns effectively what you are putting in to it, i was able to understand! (i will say that i need to go an reread some of the terms and scientific findings a lot because i get lost in the wordage, but the overall concept, i get!) What i love most about this lifestyle change is that it is full of grace. You will only see results with as strict as you choose to be.
Example, the other day i went to visit with a friend of mine. She has three little girls and we had lunch and an afternoon snack while i was there. There were things that i should "not" have eaten, but i chose to eat a small amount to be polite, and eat more of other things that i knew i could have together.
If this interests you at all, please feel free to ask questions, look on their website here. There is also a great support page on facebook and even pinterest! i am excited about it!
There will be more posts to come that involve THM- recipes i try and such... maybe i will even dapple in photocooking!!! =)

Long post- i apologize, but mush has happened and its only mid-January!! =) May you be blessed this coming year- each new day, minute, moment- as your hands find the things God would have you to do!!

What does the fox say?!?

The title of this post may send a rather annoying song running through your head- for that i apologize. If you have not yet seen this silly song phenomenon, consider yourself blessed as it will be your undoing! =)

With the craze of foxes running through our culture, i wanted to talk on them.
Mr. J and i have been going through a sermon series you can listen to here. The pastor is sharing through the book Song of Solomon. As a visitor of that church i may have second guessed my judgement in attending that day- but for Mr. J and i the series have been challenging and encouraging.
Last night we listened to the second part: Art of Dating.
We were able to pause the sermon, take notes and ask each other questions as we learned from this great example of love in the Bible. (i recommend this series for married couples as it may be a bit much to take in for those not yet there ;] )

One of the verses Pastor Nelson covered in the session was, (SoS 2:15)
"Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”
Did you know that foxes, as beautiful as they are, can reek havoc in vineyards?  It seems that the little blooms that come out all over the vines are sweet to their taste buds. . . 
Did you know that if they eat those buds and young blooms they will not be on the vine to turn into grapes?
If there are no grapes, the vinedresser will probably not be to pleased...

 In a relationship, as talked about in the verse above, the foxes are used as a metaphor. At this point in the book- the couple's love is young. It is spring time and they are enjoying getting to know each other better. However it looks like some tension may have found its way between them.
Pastor Nelson shared about how he and his wife had gotten to know each other, and a few times when the foxes appeared in their relationship. At first i thought it may just be influences of the world creeping in, and whereas that can be a fox, there is also more to it than just that. It is feelings and attitudes, words and actions- things that you face daily. If you are not careful, the cunning fox will start to unravel your relationship! 
Unlike a vinedresser, after the foxes have been rid of, loss is not the only thing we face. We have a choice: we can be left in devastation over the mess they made, OR we can be brought closer together through the hardship... *quote* "Fighting is fun because making up is great!" It leads to a deeper level of love!
Where i do not want foxes to make home in our vineyard, i am glad to learn from their visits. In GOD's great wisdom HE has tied so much together and used many great people to teach!
For those of you reading, look out for foxes! Dont let them get too cozy! Dont wait to hear what they have to say- glean from their wake and love deeper that one you found whom your soul loves!!

**images courtesy of Bing

Ever been streakin?

i had the realization today that for a while now i have been streaking.
Not in the physical since of running about in the nude- but spiritually.
i had the pleasure of meeting with one of Mr. J's customers, and though i knew her very little, came away encouraged and challenged.
Mrs. Edith was asking if i had my little girl in the car and if i needed to hurry and get back outside. A wave of sadness washed over as i had to tell her that i had lost my baby earlier this years.
She was very apologetic and said (like many do) that i was young and my time would come.
As i talked more with Mrs. Edith, she said in a very frank way- "Dont plan on having kids!" At first i was a bit taken back by her words, but i realized the truth in them. i have been putting pressure on myself and my husband to make things happen a certain way and in a certain time, instead of living in the time that GOD has given me!
Lately i have been harboring some bitterness - toward GOD, and even Mr. J. i was mad at what had happened and mad that i hadn't been able to get pregnant again. Instead of enjoying my time and making memories with Mr. J and others around me, i was allowing the enemy to steal my joy!
Other errands awaited me and as i drove i listened to this podcast (this is the written form- if you have an iTunes account i strongly suggest syncing The Busy Mom's podcasts! They are short little blurps that encourage, refocus and challenge!) - GOD showed me that i had been fighting this spiritual battle physically.
My moods, words and thoughts have been against those around me. Pasting a smile and faking the "being ok" i had been lashing out (internally, mentally and sometimes physically) on those around me- all the while being in naught but my skin and exposed to the enemy!
GOD has laid out my "clothes" (as found in Ephesians 6) and by my choosing not to get dressed has left me embarressed and hurt.
i am so very thankful that GOD showed me this before too much time passed. In my flesh i want to try and hide myself, but then i would be following Eve's footsteps.
Ephesians 6 says to get dressed and stand!
i challenge you- whoever you may be- to forgo the living in the flesh (walking exposed) and get dressed!!

Strength will Rise

i knew this day was coming. i was told it would be hard.
Honestly today i woke with a fever and have not spent much time out of bed, but it is still the day.
The day i had circled and starred on my calendar, the day my ticker was counting down to and the day i was looking forward to being MOST thankful for this year at Thanksgiving dinner. . .

i am ok. GOD has been so good to me and has strengthened my relationship with Himself, Mr. J, my sisters, and even a few knew ones started.
On Sunday at church, we sang "Everlasting GOD" (originally written by Brenton Brown)
A familiar song that struck a different chord in my heart this time. 

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our strong deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles"


As i sang GOD reminded me how He had been strengthening me as i was learning to wait on Him. Daily strength was rising in my life that could only come from Him. Strength that was empowering me to face each new day with peace and understanding that His ways are not our ways.


As this day approached, i have had some really down times. Days where the drop of a hat would get me teary eyed- not quite a hat, but definitely a baby wrapping their fingers around one of mine, seeing friends get pregnant after their own miscarriage and the delivery of babies that would have been Enoch's friends. i am genuinely happy for them as i offer congratulations and interest in their little ones.

i love babies! i long for the day that i will be asking for your prayers as begin the journey again!
But for now, GOD is strengthening me- He is using others to minister to me, and it is my prayer that i have been able to minister to other people!

Confessions of a full-time wife

I have to have some kind of outlet for the Ping-pong thoughts that are giving me a headache!

Whether they are right or wrong, they reflect where I am today. 

I was told the other day of a song by Mandisa that says, basically, it's ok to cry, and ask God why because you are still asking the right person, He's still God and though things may not make sense, He is good!

That is where I am today. I've cried. I've prayed. I've asked the questions. 

Honestly I chastise myself for some of my doubts, I mean- look at Pastor Saeed's wife. I'm pretty sure there is not a day that goes by where she does not plead God for her husband to come home. Has God turned a deaf ear to her- no. He is being made more famous having her husband in Evin prison, then at home with her....

I think about that and wonder how I can be making God famous? My prayers for children have not fallen on deaf ears- God is having me wait.

It's hard when I get a lot of, "you're so young." "You have plenty of time" and my personal favorite- (said very sarcastically) "maybe you're just not ready" 

Really?!

Not ready? 

I KNOW I will not be a perfect mom.

I KNOW that I will have a lot to learn!

Who are you to say that I am not ready?

How do you say that I am not ready and the teenage girl down the street who doesn't know who the baby's daddy is gets to have her baby?!?

No. I do not think it is a matter of not being ready.

I think it has everything to do with God's plan for my life.

Does it make sense to me - no.

Do I still ask why- all the time.

Does that make me doubt God - not at all.

God has been, is and will be GOOD! Despite where I am and what is going on around me, His plan and purposes are all for a reason. I may not know those reasons this side of heaven, and honestly they won't matter on that side. 

I know these ramblings of a wife on the other side of your screen may not make much sence, but they needed to go somewhere.

I needed to remind myself of who God is. 

I needed to see that I am not going crazy, but that I do need to refocus my thoughts on God and all that He is... Good, honorable, right, just, true, pure, lovely, excellent and worthy of ALL my praise!

So I choose to rejoice - for this is the day that Lord has made, and it is good!

Teach a boy to fish...

... or in this case, shuck corn!
There is a famous saying that goes,

Give a boy a fish, you feed him for a day- teach him to fish and you feed him for life!

Something like that anyways. It may be slightly paraphrased, but hopefully you get the point. My sister does a really good job at teaching her boys how to fish. Having such a big family, sometimes we get to be a part of that teaching too!

Earlier this summer Pop and Mr. J were shucking the grilled corn and Moose had to be in on the action! I dont know if he was driven by curiosity or his stomach, but it made for some cute pictures!

He watched Popa and Uncle J really close to make sure he knew what to do!

Finally asking for an ear of his own to shuck

slow and steady

look at that concentration!

 

 

 

 

He needed Uncle J to help break them off

 Final inspection and removal of any "strings"

 Showing off his hard word...
















 Enjoying the fruits of his labor!











It is fun to do things with these boys! To see them grow in to Godly young men i know is a joy to their parents- and a pleasure to those around them. They have quite a few of us aunts wrapped, but i dont think any of us mind! =]