I have been reflecting some more this week about keeping things in perspective. After sharing my 'bee sting' thoughts last week, a friend encouraged me 'not to minimize the bee sting, as it still hurts'. My devotions since then have also talked about how we have a God who always listens. It is so comforting to know that even when my trials may be small, God is big and He cares about even the little things. Here is a case in point:
Two weeks ago, I lost one of the half carat diamond earrings Paul had given me on our 5th Anniversary. I went to take them out at night and one was missing. I was not even confident that I ever put it in that morning, so looked all around the bathroom. I also contacted the church I had been at and a friend whose house I had visited that day, to ask them to keep their eyes open. While I was very disappointed to have lost the earring, I had an overwhelming peace about it. I kept the perspective that it was just a 'thing', a material possession. I also had a great sense that if God wanted me to have it back, it would show up.
So, yesterday, I woke up and our phone and internet were out. Kind of a bummer way to start the day, but I called and got an appointment to have it fixed today. After calling, I thought I should do a quick check and make sure there weren't any cables loose or cords unplugged under my desk (a place Marley likes to hang out). While on my hands and knees, among the dust bunnies, I found an earring back. My first thought was that it was one of Sage's, which I seem to find everywhere. And then, about 2 inches away, I found my earring!!
I couldn't believe it had been right there under my feet all along! I sit at my desk/computer several times everyday. I also realized that it could have so easily been 'lost' someplace in the cracks of our floor boards or under a different part of the desk where it would not have been discovered for years, if at all.
This all served as a great reminder to me of how much God cares about even the tiniest of things. That small earring and back could have been anywhere! The places it could have been lost without any potential of returning were infinite! Yet God, in His love and grace allowed it to be safely resting, in my home, in a place that I would eventually find it.
How great is our God who cares about the whole world, yet still has time to care about the tiniest details of our lives. :)
Growing...
Our growing 'family' is growing quickly!! The ducks are now officially bigger than Marley. They are getting their white, grown up, feathers and will soon be ready to move into their new home...outside. They already love the pond and I think will make the transition with ease.
Paul has been extremely busy trying to finish the hen house for 'the girls', as they, too, grew much quicker than we anticipated! The two ducks and six chickens had been housed together in a large dog crate, but that was getting very crowded! Thursday night, the hen house was ready for the chicks to move in. The ducks were a little beside themselves without the chickens in the cage with them. On Friday, while Paul was doing some more work on the hen house, he found all six chicks had flown back into the garage and were standing outside of the dog cage looking at the ducks inside! LOL!
On with the adventure! Hope your day is blessed!
Paul has been extremely busy trying to finish the hen house for 'the girls', as they, too, grew much quicker than we anticipated! The two ducks and six chickens had been housed together in a large dog crate, but that was getting very crowded! Thursday night, the hen house was ready for the chicks to move in. The ducks were a little beside themselves without the chickens in the cage with them. On Friday, while Paul was doing some more work on the hen house, he found all six chicks had flown back into the garage and were standing outside of the dog cage looking at the ducks inside! LOL!
On with the adventure! Hope your day is blessed!
Just a bee sting...
"What would have to change in your life for you to experience more times of 'treasuring' your blessings, of 'meditating' on the goodness and greatness of God?" - Beth Moore - Jesus, 90 days with the One and Only
This is from my devotions today and isn't it just like God to have you studying things that say the perfect thing at the perfect time? I have been struggling with some minor adversity in my life recently and when things like this happen I try to reflect on the purpose it serves. What I have been thinking about lately is how going through painful situations usually leads in one of two directions. You can choose to ask 'why' and feel sorry for yourself, or you can choose to ask 'why' and 'what can I learn from this?'.
I have chose to ask 'what can I learn from this?'. In doing so, it has made me realize how blessed I am. It has made me see that even when things are bad, God is good. It has encouraged me to reassess what my priorities in life should be. Going through my own trials and frustrations has also given me increased empathy and compassion for those around me facing much bigger mountains. God has shown me that my trials are just really a bee sting, not an arm amputation. It still stings, but I need to keep it in perspective.
Thank you God, for helping me to keep things in perspective and for reminding me of my blessings!
This is from my devotions today and isn't it just like God to have you studying things that say the perfect thing at the perfect time? I have been struggling with some minor adversity in my life recently and when things like this happen I try to reflect on the purpose it serves. What I have been thinking about lately is how going through painful situations usually leads in one of two directions. You can choose to ask 'why' and feel sorry for yourself, or you can choose to ask 'why' and 'what can I learn from this?'.
I have chose to ask 'what can I learn from this?'. In doing so, it has made me realize how blessed I am. It has made me see that even when things are bad, God is good. It has encouraged me to reassess what my priorities in life should be. Going through my own trials and frustrations has also given me increased empathy and compassion for those around me facing much bigger mountains. God has shown me that my trials are just really a bee sting, not an arm amputation. It still stings, but I need to keep it in perspective.
Thank you God, for helping me to keep things in perspective and for reminding me of my blessings!
Something New
For almost a year now, I have been slowly reading through the Old Testament. I had been studying the Life of Moses through Bible Study Fellowship during the 2008-2009 school year and picked up where that left off during the past year. Usually, I don't find as many life applications from the Old Testament as the New Testament, but God has been revealing a lot to me through this last year. Probably the most important thing I have learned is how patient He is. No matter how many times the Israelites turned from Him and worshiped other, false gods, He was there, waiting for them and wanting them to love Him and ready to receive them and forgive them. It is so comforting to know that God has an endless supply of love and patience for me too.
Now, I am ready for a change in my devotions for a while. I have decided to study the Beth Moore Book "Jesus - 90 days with the One and Only". I have had this book for a while and did about 20 days or so of it when I first got it, but never finished it. I'm sure it will take me more than 90 days to work through it, but I am looking forward to what it will teach me throughout the summer. Wanna join me? :)
Now, I am ready for a change in my devotions for a while. I have decided to study the Beth Moore Book "Jesus - 90 days with the One and Only". I have had this book for a while and did about 20 days or so of it when I first got it, but never finished it. I'm sure it will take me more than 90 days to work through it, but I am looking forward to what it will teach me throughout the summer. Wanna join me? :)
Catching Up
I realized recently that it has been a long time since I worked on any pages for Sage's 'First Year' scrapbook. So, I decided to start at it again.
During the first year of each of the girls lives, I tried to write down little tidbits each day. It was fun to read back through Sage's 'tidbits' three years later. My hope is that the girls will find this information fun to read and a little bit useful when they become mommies.
Layout uses: Witty Collection, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Mini Clusters
Layout uses: Eclectic Collection Biggie , ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Mini Clusters
I haven't used layout templates in a while and forgot how much fun they can be and how quickly it makes your pages come together! :)
Hope your day is blessed!
During the first year of each of the girls lives, I tried to write down little tidbits each day. It was fun to read back through Sage's 'tidbits' three years later. My hope is that the girls will find this information fun to read and a little bit useful when they become mommies.
Layout uses: Witty Collection, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Mini Clusters
Layout uses: Eclectic Collection Biggie , ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Mini ClustersI haven't used layout templates in a while and forgot how much fun they can be and how quickly it makes your pages come together! :)
Hope your day is blessed!
Happy Easter!
I know! I have, once again, been neglecting my blog! Since a lot has happened in the last 3 1/2 months, I will just jump in where we are now. My hope for the future is to keep this a bit more up to date! :)
Tomorrow, we look forward to celebrating Easter. We have been on an egg hunt and have painted some eggs already, now we can celebrate the true meaning of Easter - the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are hoping to get up and to our early church service tomorrow, as the other two services will be quite crowded.
In lieu of Easter baskets, I took the girls to Hobby Lobby today and gave them each $5 to spend. They combined their money together with some other money they each had for a total of $17. They do a great job of working together to buy crafts they can both share and, of course, use a 40% off coupon to stretch their dollars! LOL! Today they bought some small ceramics to paint and a big bucket of foam stickers. They spent the better part of the day working on their new projects together.
My surprise for them ended up paling in comparison to Daddy's though. We have been discussing the possibility of getting some baby chicks to raise and today decided to go ahead and do it. Paul made a few phone calls and found some in Holland that we could pick up. We decided 6 chicks would be a nice amount to start with. As we gathered our supplies and had the chicks boxed up for transport, we also fell in love with the baby ducks! Somehow, two of them made it home to our house as well! LOL!!
The girls are tickled and Marley (the puppy that joined our family in January) is curious beyond belief!!
Hope your Easter is filled with blessings!
Tomorrow, we look forward to celebrating Easter. We have been on an egg hunt and have painted some eggs already, now we can celebrate the true meaning of Easter - the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are hoping to get up and to our early church service tomorrow, as the other two services will be quite crowded.
In lieu of Easter baskets, I took the girls to Hobby Lobby today and gave them each $5 to spend. They combined their money together with some other money they each had for a total of $17. They do a great job of working together to buy crafts they can both share and, of course, use a 40% off coupon to stretch their dollars! LOL! Today they bought some small ceramics to paint and a big bucket of foam stickers. They spent the better part of the day working on their new projects together.
My surprise for them ended up paling in comparison to Daddy's though. We have been discussing the possibility of getting some baby chicks to raise and today decided to go ahead and do it. Paul made a few phone calls and found some in Holland that we could pick up. We decided 6 chicks would be a nice amount to start with. As we gathered our supplies and had the chicks boxed up for transport, we also fell in love with the baby ducks! Somehow, two of them made it home to our house as well! LOL!!
The girls are tickled and Marley (the puppy that joined our family in January) is curious beyond belief!!
Hope your Easter is filled with blessings!
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