Today is our day!

Being a mom is wonderfully hard. Most days I feel like I'm paddling my canoe through mud with 3 very active passengers. Not the most ideal set up but we work hard and make it work. 

  

In this new season of our lives we are learning how to make life work for us and we are having more and more adventures.

 

Today we headed out to take daddy to work with only half of our clan dressed... I wasn't one of them!

Finally after the plumber came to fix the water heater, I took a quick (cold) shower and we decided to do whatever we wanted. It didn't matter what we thought could be done. We had time, we had each other and we needed to just go. Anywhere. Everywhere. Whatever. We were ready and we had mardi gras beads, nothing could stop us.

Our plan was to go to Bugaboo Creek which much to our dismay had closed with out my knowledge! So Applebees it was. Where we drank Sprite and laughed.

There was coloring to be done and silly faces to be made.

 

And chocolate chip sundaes that needed us. We just did it. People stared and many older ladies wished me luck.  I laughed inside because they had no idea how good I have it, that I was on an adventure.

 

 We had to take more potty breaks than you could imagine but we decided to do today with out fear of how it might turn out. And it wasn't perfect.

  We tried to watch a movie but had to leave early because of a little miss who wanted to play the entire time. When she wasn't allowed she wept loudly in the ear of the poor man in front of us. I knew we could not endure. So 45 minutes into our movie (after taking 1 potty break) we headed back to the car. 

 No worries, just wondering what we would do next. We opted for quiet time in tents watching Happy Feet. Not bad. 

Today was a day that we reclaimed fun. We did things just because we could. It was a good day and we made it! We lived to tell about it but most importantly, we had an adventure.

I'm getting excited!!!

This evening I was thinking about our little boy and thinking about the goodies he will get to use of IGN's when he arrives. We have all the 'baby necessities' thanks to big sister and those who hooked her up when she was on the way:) Here at Bethany a family has offered us a double stroller and I am PUMPED! It will make life much easier being able to roll them both around instead of carrying one in a sling or something and strolling the other. (Although I'm sure that will happen a few times.) I am realizing what an amazing privilege it is having TWO little ones in our house and I'm getting so excited. At first I was all nerves wondering what it would be like and knowing that it would be a challenge but the nervousness is becoming excitement as I realize that he's 14 weeks away from being here with us! I know it will be hard and I'm trying (if that is possible!) to prepare for it but more than anything God is confirming in my heart over and over again what a blessing my family is. I mean I can say that they are a blessing all day long but the Lord is stirring my heart for my family like He does a person for a people group or a nation. I think many mothers and women feel this way especially if the longing of their hearts was always to be a mom. It was never a 'passion' of mine to have a family and to be a stay at home mom so it has taken me longer than the average girl to get to this place. Don't get me wrong I have adored JM and my little angel but I never felt like this was my 'life's calling' and that what I was doing was bring glory to God and inviting the Kingdom of Heaven. (I hope I'm making sense.) But God is doing a new thing in my heart and showing me that where I am is where I have been called and serving and inspiring my family is the desire of my heart. Sometimes its easy to go through the days looking forward to nap times and feeling guilty because my house is lacking in cleanliness and beauty but all I have to say is that "its all gonna burn anyway" (quote from Caroline-thanks!) so why not put my time and energy into what is eternal and that is the spiritual climate of my house and the lives that are in it. No, I'm not going to let my house go to pot but if my girl (and soon my boy) need extra time with me, I'm going to let the dishes pile up for the day or let the kitchen floor have some extra crumbs on it. I LOVE my family and I am passionate about them and their spiritual well-being. I long to be the wife and mom that God is calling me to be. There are no pressures of this world that can tell me what we NEED to be a happy, healthy family, there is only the TRUTH of God and the revelation of the Spirit that will sustain us and give us what we need. I always wanted to be a worship leader somewhere in my heart and now I realize more than ever that I am, I have the honor of joining with John Mark and leading our family before the throne of God every day. I am blessed and humbled that God saw me fit to place these lives in my hands.

I didn't plan on getting off on this little tangent, but whatever, it was obviously wanting to get out:) I think I'm just excited about this new precious life under our roof and tonight I even filled out a baby registry just for fun to get more excited about him. He is a miracle and just as God used IGN to open my eyes to so much, He is already using this little guy to make me more and more aware of His goodness. I am thankful.

really?

My current feelings about life are changing... all of my expectations and thoughts 'are being slightly adjusted to view life a little differently. I don't know what we're doing and how we have managed to take life so seriously but I think we're done with all of that (for the time being). I think JM and I have always felt that call to do missions but never had a clear picture of what it meant for us. I mean we've seen others do it and we've participated here and there and although we have loved our experiences, we never had any clear vision. I have always felt that if you are 'called' to missions that you are being disobedient for not going immediately (or working towards going) even if you have no clue what you're doing and no direction. So for the past few years I have carried around an unending feeling of guilt that I'm not who I am supposed to be and I'm disappointing God in the process. Thats not the best of feelings and I'm glad that God in all of His gentleness can show me where I have made-up my own views of Him.
I have heard a statement recently and its not 'gospel truth', its just one person's take on what we are doing here on earth. They called this life an internship for the up-coming life with the Lord and all that we are doing and growing in here is what will determine what we DO in heaven. I know sounds crazy to some, normal to others. This theory goes along with the whole we will 'rule and reign' with Christ, and gong along with that, we will be DOING SOMETHING while with Him . So anyway, his view is that what we pursue now will give direction to what we DO when we are with the Lord. Take it for what its worth.
OK.... ALL OF THIS TO SAY, that it makes me realize that what I pursue here on this planet better be something that I love (whether or not this little theory is remotely true) because its what I may be doing for eternity. Even if this theory is WAY off and heretical, I believe that God has given each of us such beautiful and distinct gifts and if we don't pursue them and grow in them then we are denying who we were made to be. I think so many of us go through life feeling like who we are at the core of our beings isn't good enough so we work so hard to become some thing greater and more appealing to this world that all the while we are rejecting the ONE who created us.
So, from now on, my life's purpose is to know the One that created me and to give myself over to being HIS CREATION and not making myself into what I feel like this world needs. God knows what this world needs and if He wants to meet the needs of the world in some way through me He is going to have put the desire and the vision and the ability in me. Someone once said that we need to BEHOLD to BECOME, meaning that we don't make ourselves into greatness but only in the presence of God can we be transformed. Duh, but for me its huge.
So now with no pressures but to know God, JM, IGN, Sweet Pea and I can move through this life focused on the Lord and pursuing the passions He has placed in our hearts, and if we look foolish to everyone else and no one gets us, its ok because we belong to the King of Kings and in the end HIS pleasure in us is all we need.
Love to all and I pray that this post blesses you all in some way:)

Ok, on a lighter note: here are IGN pics... she likes to wear her pumpkin hat from halloween all the time now... its comedy!

Friday Night I'm goin nowhere ...

Name that singer and song.... Anyone?

It is 11.29 (central time)on Friday night, and Bekah and I just walked in the door. I had planned on her covering the blogging duties today because I was at work all day, but apparently so was she. IGN kept her busy through the day, just as my runs through Minneapolis/ST Paul kept me busy.

We were invited over for dinner tonight, by some of my old friends from when I lived up here. They are a few years older than us, but really a lot like us in a lot of ways. We talked about the struggles of having a "missions calling" versus wanting to provide for your family. (Their daughter is about 6 months older than IGN). It was good to talk to someone out of the day to day Bethany context, but still know where we are coming from. Their home was extremely warm and inviting. They had pumpkins out, candles lit, and even a logs burning in the fireplace. We laughed a lot, and I am exhausted.

Tonight, I am thankful. Thankful for good friends that are okay with you being who you are, where you are. I am thankful for generous people, and rich food. I am thankful for this journey that we are on, even though I am often unsure of the next bend in the road. I am thankful.

Oh no!!!

Ok, I'm sitting in my kitchen while IGN munches away on a banana and I'm looking out of our sliding glass doors and what do I see? Storm clouds. Woopty freakin do, some of you might be thinking, but what is freaking me out is that it is only 30 degrees right now and that is like our high for today and there maybe more little storms this evening when its even colder...doh!!! I think its too early for snow but Jm thinks its already late. Agree to disagree.
IG and her banana fingers wants to say hey: gykjnhyubub8f ghju xzs
Thats all the fun she gets on the computer... it has become a 'no touch zone', much to her dismay. Well, that is our BIG NEWS for today... oh wait! We bought our plane tickets home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Christmas is coming!!! I CAN'T WAIT!

National Blog Posting Month- NABLOPOMO

The mood has changed around these parts, and the air is telling us to buckle up. The rumor is there is supposed to be snow by this time next week, but who knows. Minnesota has got to be one of the most schizophrenic place on earth, when it comes to weather. It can be in the seventies one day, and then by the time you go outside to enjoy it, it will drop below freezing. Yeah not quite that bad, but it does change seemingly overnight. Something tells me that we ain't going back to 70 degree weather anytime soon. Things here at the house of prayer are good. I am learning tons of stuff about seeking the Lord in prayer, running the soundboard, and also growing in the bass and guitar in worship. Next up is piano, and drums. One day.

God has really answered our prayers for provision up here too. He has given me a shot at three different jobs outside of BHOP, (one on Monday and Friday, and two on Sunday). We are still praying for full financial support for our time up here, so I can focus in on the House of prayer even more, but we are trusting that it will come with time, and for now God has provided this work.

Bekah and I were talking about how much we miss home yesterday. It's tough being up here at times, but we still know that its right. We miss yall down in Georgia, and though I think our southern accents are starting to fade, we are trying to avoid talking like they do in the movie Fargo. Which is not by the way a movie that we would necessarily recommend other than to understand the accents that we endure up here. OH YA! YOU BETCHA!

29

I think birthdays are very funny. I mean as a kid it was EVERYTHING. I would get so pumped for like 2 months before the big day was actually here and then I would rock out and make my self the most important person ever for a day (even if I was the only who thought so) and I would be crazy sad when my day was over. It doesn't feel the same anymore and I think I enjoy celebrating other people so much more, maybe that comes with maturity? And by saying that am I saying that I'm more mature? What the heck?! I don't want to be more mature! I think I have to be for a little while... I need a lesson on 'Being Fun and Goofy While Teaching Your Children to Function Properly in a Social Setting and to Love God and Others'. If anyone has experience in this field, please, feel free to pass on all wisdom and insight! Sometimes I think I'm taking the whole parenting thing too seriously and then I think of how jacked up our world is and I think I should take it a whole lot more seriously. What the heck is a girl to do? i mean, thats the ting, I'm just a girl... how am I supposed to know how to do this? Dang. Well, I think I should start by taking a shower... I mean, at least I'll be clean, right?

God is good. I am enjoying what is going on here, and my girls are loving life here too. Isaiah Grace is making more friends than Bekah and I are (actually she draws them to us with her smile, and wave- she waves to everyone here, and we leave a room? She is waving to everyone and saying "Bye-Bye!") We have an incredible child, who most of yall in Georgia probably wouldn't even recognize at this point as she is so different from when we left.

Today I was walking across the campus lawn, the air was crisp, the wind was threatening winter, fall has arrived! Bekah says it is her favorite time of year, and I think I am with her. Its just the perfect temperature here. Minnesota may not offer the most comfortable winters but they have amazing fall seasons. We went from 80s and 90s to 40s and 50s in like a day. There were actually a few days when it was colder in Atlanta than it was here. Bekah has become freakishly observant of the weather, as she now has to dress two in the morning.

I wanted to say that the Lord has blessed us a lot so far. We have everything we need here, and then some, cause thats just how the Lord rolls. He loves to give good things to his children. For some reason they waived our rent here for the month of September. Amazing. I just wanted to let everyone know that God is blessing us. We don't know what kind of support is going to come in, but I felt like God told me this week to not worry, but to trust him. I think he is also opening up a job for me on campus, more on that as it unfolds.