Too Busy to Be Still?

“We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.”

— Psalm 39:6a

Life is absolutely a balancing act.  There are 24 hours in a day and I have to make choices about how I spend those hours.   We are a busy family but I do not wear that term “busy” as a badge of honor!   I actually despise the word to be honest.  A dear friend of mind says she uses the word Crazy instead.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines  BUSY as: “engaged in action…being in use,” and “full of activity.”

My day is most certainly full of activity!  I have three active children who are each in two activities right now.  My husband has evening commitments which take him many places.  He leads a recovery group in the jail, a recovery group at the hospital, along with rehearsals and meetings.  Our three littles are involved in dance, karate, swimming and Awana.  There are months I host a book club for women.  Currently, there are over 20 women at my home weekly for Bible Study. God has also placed a special place in our hearts for couples who are struggling in their marriages and people who struggle with infertility and grief.  We see how God has worked in our mess and we greatly want to share His hope with others.

As you can see the schedule gets full!    And I am sure many of you understand this or have much more challenging calendars. I sometimes feel people wear their “busyness” as a badge.  Do we feel more important the more stuff we do?  How many committees are we on?  How long do we work?  How many activities are our children in?  I think we feel a sense of accomplishment with all the activity we cram in?  But is it healthy?  What are we really gaining?  Please don’t get me wrong, these are all good things we are doing but at what point is it too much?  And certain seasons bring about more activity than others.  However, at which point is too much too much …. this point varies from person to person.   I think balancing is the key. And are we honoring God with all we are doing?  This one can sting a little bit but it’s something I know we’ve needed to take an inventory of in our household. 

I like order and having a plan!  Mike and I both function best when we are both on the same page for the day.  We pretty much make a game plan in the morning.  Who is taking who where?  What time does this meeting start?  What will be for dinner and what time will dinner be?  We don’t want our children to be feeling like ping pong balls going to place to place.  We also want them to feel a sense of peace and rest.  And while we have many different things in our schedules, we also schedule down time and rest.  There are certain evenings we have absolutely nothing to do.  We know we need this as individuals but also as a family.   There are certain days we will not allow anything to be scheduled.  There have been some really fun activities and outings our family has not attended because we needed a pause or stillness. 

Here are some tips which have helped us

1. We discuss what each activity looks like for our children and family.  Since the kids are in school all day they’ve had their own day of work.  Mike and I both work full time outside of the home.  While my teaching schedule is set to certain hours, Mike’s hours are dependent on different commitments and needs for the week.  So the day and time of the activity needs to work for all of us.
2. While our children may want to do tons of different things we only allow them to participate in certain things.  There are 24 hours in a day and seven days each week.  We don’t feel each day needs to be filled with activity.
3. Mike and I carve out time each morning to talk about our day (Pow Wow)  we talk about the activities, what’s for dinner or evening commitments and then pray together.  It’s helps us know the plan, be on the same page and connect.  Once we’ve each had our quiet time alone we meet together.  Then its lunch making time, getting kiddos dressed and ourselves ready for the day.  Oh did I mention there is quite a bit of coffee and tea drinking beforehand!  LOL 
4. We plan days which have nothing scheduled because we all need rest and peace.  I also think kids need to be bored.  Then they use their creativity.  Something recent we started doing with the kids is called quiet time.  It was something a women in my book club mentioned and we really liked the idea.  There are days when the kids have to do something quiet.  There is no technology used or TV watching happening.  They can rest, they can play quietly in their room, read magazines or books.  It’s not a time of talking but being quiet. It really is a good skill for us all to learn.  I know my own mind and soul needs my quiet time each morning.  It’s in the quiet God often speaks to me.  We feel we are starting to build this concept into our children.
5. We eat dinner together most nights at the kitchen table.  Our dinner “menu” is planned in our morning pow wow!    Mike and I realized earlier last year we often fed the kids supper while we stood at the counter for dinner.  This didn’t feel right to us.  It was too rushed, we were not setting a good example for our children and we had to make time to sit around a table to eat.  There is something so special about being gathered around the table together.  Once everyone has their spot and is finished arguing about who sits by who and who gets the red cup, we eat!!!!  The conversations are special moments and often entertaining. Plus we continue to work on table manners!!! We have a special dice we roll each night with different prayers on it.  Mike has also recently added trivia questions to the dinner table conversation.  

Recently, I did something I had not done in about a year and half.  I scheduled a manicure and pedicure for myself.  My husband was very supportive and made sure he was home in time for me to make my appointment.  I felt guilty even scheduling it.  How often do we feel guilty for doing things for ourselves?  There are always so many other more pressing matters to be done or so we think.  What was so wonderful about it was the salon was not busy at all, it was so peaceful and quiet.  The best part was a women who I know just happened to be in the salon too.  Just the two of us getting pedicures.  It was for sure a God ordained appointment and not just for our toes.  We talked with one another about life’s happenings.  She shared with me some great wisdom about something near and dear to my heart.   Her life experience helped me understand the depth of a new adventure our family is just starting.  

Sometimes we need a little stillness and peace.  One of my favorite verses is Psalm 46:10, “Be Still and Know that I am God.”   We too often over schedule ourselves and are too busy.  See, there is that word again!   There are times when God wants us to be still so we can feel His Love, His Peace and His Guidance.  

So the lesson for me is I feel more peace when I LET GO of the calendar schedule and don’t over schedule.  And I hear God’s voice when I schedule time for Him, and me. So as we dive into a full holiday schedule these two things will be part of the plan.  More stillness and less planning!

So dear friend maybe you are finding you need a more peaceful, tranquil spirit.  I truly believe you will hear from God more if you slow down some and be still.

How We Do Halloween

We love holidays - especially the sacred ones.  Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving are our favorites.  We celebrate birthdays with cake and ice cream.  We attend patriotic parades and even go a little green on St. Patrick's Day!  For us, we choose not to focus on the darkness that comes with Halloween, but the fun costumes and the candy! Mike especially likes to teach the kids about sharing as he mandates they share certain treats with him!! 

I am an absolute fall fanatic.  This is my second most favorite season to decorate for!  Once September hits the kids and I pull out all of the fall decorations.  I love that they share in my excitement for decorating!

Our home has fall and harvest touches all around.  I like using light to create warm touches all around.

Lots of pumpkins and scarecrows.  I love that all of these things can stay up until Thanksgiving.  Which happens to be one of our favorite holidays!

Here is some of their new artwork which we created on Columbus Day!  The kids love painting on canvas.  These hand print trees turned out amazing.

Their feet are so big now!   It was quite an adventure painting them!

Each morning and evening I usually enjoy a cup of tea.  In the morning Mike and I have been enjoying this delicious harvest pumpkin coffee.  It was a gift from a dear friend.   Here are a few of the teas I am loving right now too!

We made fun cutouts.  The kids love decorating.  The candy corn ones are my favorite.  Mike and I had to google the color order of the candy corn.  Seriously we made a couple inaccurate candy corn cookies.

Here is a book we read to our children during this time of year.  We like the scripture throughout the story and the illustration of the pumpkin. 

For Halloween we don’t do scary or gory.  This year our children are wearing kitty cat, dinosaur and dragon costumes.   We were shopping last February and Pottery Barn Kids had an amazing clearance event.  To our delight we found costumes in the perfect sizes for our children.  

This past year we hosted a Fall Festival for our church.  It was a great time for families to come together and play games, eat some yummy food and enjoy a petting zoo.  

We hope you enjoy these amazing autumn days and are creating many memories.    There is so much beauty to take in right now.  Savor it and take it all in. 

Friday Favorites

It’s been much too long since I’ve shared with you some of my Favorites!  I hope you have been enjoying this start to autumn.  It’s been incredibly warm here, meaning I’ve been able to wear my summer wardrobe much more than most years.  My feet sure don’t mind all the sandal wearing!

Recently I have had the JOY of hosting and being a part of an amazing women's Bible Study with over 20 women.  We are currently doing a Lisa-Jo Baker study called "We Saved You A Seat".  It’s all about finding and keeping lasting friendships.  Come on, who out there does want that???    Our time together is special and conversations are meaningful.  It’s pretty incredible how God has been moving in our group, and sharing life with women of all ages is powerful.  We learn from one another and gain wisdom and insight.  I would encourage you to find the incredible women who guide us in this study on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @lisajobaker, @AliaJoy, @alizalatta and @kristenstrong.

Let’s start with my absolute favorite dry shampoo ever!  I am obsessed with these two Dry Bar products.  Seriously, I’ve been given them as Christmas presents!!! They are amazing and don’t smell bad.  I feel the whole concept of dry shampoo has greatly improved over the years.   And truth be told by Friday I have a whole lot of dry shampoo going on!!! I love the Triple Sec 3-1andDetox Dry Shampoo.   I usually get my products at Sephora but have also ordered them from Amazon.

http://www.sephora.com

 Oh sweet Matilda Jane how I love you!!!!  My heart ached for a little girl for so very long.  Dressing her up brings me incredibly great joy!  I adore the story behind this company and love their philosophy of keeping little girls little and giving back. I love watching Reagan twirl in her dresses and MJ is all about the twirl.  Matilda Jane makes unique clothing forbabies, girls, tweens and women.  I love their fabrics, patterns, color detailed buttons and ruffles. I also love how the clothes are fun, different and modest!  Reagan has quite the Matilda Jane wardrobe now!  Please consider shopping with my Trunk Keeper #2952 Amy Teijeira or www.matildajaneclothing.com/AmyTeijeira.  While I have never personally met her she is an absolute delight and joy to work with.  

I have long been a fan of Karen Kingsbury and read many of her other books.  Her stories inspire me and often bring me to tears.  I often finish her books in a week or so because I just cannot put them down.  She is a gifted storyteller and has Hallmark making movies from her books. How many of you watched The Bridge this past Christmas?  Remember how upset everyone was whenthey weren’t going to continue the story until he following year.  

I usually pick up her books at SAMS Club for the best price.  Please check out her website though to learn more about her.

https://www.karenkingsbury.com

These earrings are made by a ministry which is near and dear to my heart.  I have hosted two WAR Chest parties. Women at Risk International helps rescue women who have been saved from human trafficking.  They teach them how to make jewelryand other items.  They also walk along these women during the healing process.  These earrings are actually bottle caps!    

warchestboutique.com 

Never too Late for Happily Ever After

In our home we have a picture which reads “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.”   We found it this year at Hobby Lobby and it’s a reminder to us that God can make all things new!  

This past spring we hosted a marriage small group in our home.  On the final night we shared the story of our lives together.  And we were pretty transparent!  With very wide eyes one couple asked us how did you two make it through?  We have sat with others who are struggling in their own marriages who have found comfort knowing we are still married after many tough seasons.  

On April 30th, 2005 neither one of us knew what was to come. Most people who get married are longing for that happily ever after!    How many of us truly would like to know what the future holds? We are led to believe that love is enough to get through anything!  The truth is, however, that love is not a feeling it is an action.  Love isn’t butterflies, its a commitment and a choice.   Unfortunately, Hollywood has cultivated a very unrealistic expectation of love.  And society encourages us to do what makes us happy and feels good.  If something gets too difficult or hard … just quit.  Isn’t the grass actually greener on the other side of the pasture?

Honestly, we wouldn’t have wanted to know what the future held because it’s likely neither one of us would have walked down the isle that day. Would you, the reader still get married if you knew you or your spouse would: 

-become terminally ill
-struggle with infertility
-experience the death of a child
-suffer a tragic accident leaving you unable to speak or move
-fall into so much debt you’d go bankrupt
-have an affair
-become addicted to gambling, drugs, pornography, pain pills, alcohol, etc. 

What if your spouse has not been honest with you about his or her past?  Maybe he or she was emotionally, physically or sexually abused and has not shared that with anyone.    The point of this blog is not for us to share all of the details of our story.  What we wish to share are some ways we found healing and hope.  The truth is, no matter what your story looks like there is healing through Jesus Christ.  We believe there is HOPE in all circumstances!

Back to the question that was asked of us during that final small group on marriage: What DID we do to stay married?  So here are some practical answers for you to consider.

1.  First of all , we got honest with God and each other.   This meant all cards had to be laid out on the table.  It also meant sharing feelings and being willing to listen.  In 2 Corinthians 10 it reads , And we destroy every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God.  We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.  

2.  We sought out Godly counsel from professional counselors.  Not all marriages end up in crisis like ours did.  Some can benefit from a couple of sessions with a trained professional.  But when couples are near the end of their rope, desperate times call for desperate measures!  There comes a point when an intensive, 2-3 day retreat becomes the best option for some couples.  

                                                   theravines.com

3.  Time is another important factor here.  Healing takes time. Unfortunately we live in a culture that creates an expectation of immediate resolution.  The problem with that is deep wounds take time to heal, and some wounds are so deep they may need multiple surgeries to dig out all the infection.  

4.  Be willing to forgive.  Forgiveness is not easy, but when we understand the difference between forgiveness and trust it becomes a bit more simple to wrap our minds around. For example, one main definition of forgiveness is to give up claim to compensation.  In other words, when someone hurts us we release them from the need (in our mind) of doing anything to compensate us for the wrongdoing.  We do not, however allow them to continue hurting us and breaking our trust.  It’s not easy to let go when we have been hurt repeatedly, deeply, over the course of a long time or when we haven't known the truth. This is why trust is earned.  Forgiveness is freely given.  And because this is such a BIG topic we will address it soon in another blog post.

The bottom line is this - Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15,  “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

5.  Don’t keep reliving the past.  At some point we have to choose to put one foot in front of the other and move forward, focusing on what God can do instead of what we’ve done or what’s been done to us.  Take the opportunity to make new memories.  For example in the summer of 2014 I (Mike) re-did the 12 Days of Christmas for my wife, because I didn’t complete them the Christmas before.  Certain dates may trigger past events.  This has been true for us and we approach those days differently.   In some instances we have waited a few years to do a redo of an event.  Making a new memory has been helpful for us and the healing continues. I (Jen) was recently somewhere with the kids and I took a silly selfie of the kids and I.  It had been a place I would go when I just needed to escape.  Now it holds a silly memory with the kids and me.  

6.  Go do something fun and mindless together even if its just for a short time.  Maybe get an ice cream cone, throw rocks in a lake, grab a cup of coffee.  Don’t make this a time of talking about all of the problems … let it be a time to just be together.    For us to carve out time for just us without the children had to be intentional.  We needed to figure out what “Us” even felt like!

7.  Do something new together.   Set out on an adventure and intentionally create new beginnings.  It maybe taking a day trip somewhere, or taking a cooking class, start watching a new tv series,   For us we started camping because it’s something we didn’t do before.  It was a new adventure and we both had a lot to learn.  Fresh air, campfires, exploring, grilling and nature brought healing to our souls.  

8.  Pray for one another.  This may seem incredibly difficult if not seemingly impossible.  However, God knows our hurt and pain.  Be completely real with Him.  Truly amazing things happen within your heart and mind when you completely surrender to God.  He can make the most impossible of circumstances and turn into something one never imagined could exist.   Your prayers can be as simple as,  God I am so hurt right now and angry.  Help me see him or her like you do.   

9.  Pray Together.  This step may take time.  To be in a place with one another to even feel comfortable doing this is not something that happens right away.   If you can get there, praying together does not need to be some long drawn out event.  I remember when Mike and I started doing this my prayers were God help us.  The truth is our marriage would not even be a reality if God was not in it.   Praying with one another is one of the best ways to connect with your spouse. 

10. Be careful what you share with your friends and others.  Everyone will have their opinions and offer advice.  People may seem to be genuinely sympathetic but often times people are simply nosey.  Gossip is a very ugly problem and contributes to so much heartache.   This is your marriage and ultimately it’s between you, your spouse and God. It is a sacred space, even if it has been deeply damaged and seems beyond repair.  There is no reason to let just anyone in.  Putting up boundaries is very important.  There are most certainly circumstances where the public may have some information but they never know the whole story. I found (Jen) I needed to quiet the noise of people and listen to God.  I also found out that God intentionally put people near me when I needed it.  He knew who could speak a word, who was trustworthy, who genuinely was interested in my healing.  Jesus only had a few close friends, those who he could really trust.  

11.  Spend time with God -  Quiet yourself, be still and listen.  No person will ever satisfy your needs.  Relationships with people cannot do that for us. Only God can do that.  Our ultimate healing happens when we turn to Him.    This is the one thing which gave strength and fulfillment.  It opened doors for restoration in our marriage which we know never would have happened otherwise.  

One of our theme verses has been Romans 8:28.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.  

This verse has proven itself true over and over again in our lives.  We have a sign for it displayed on our great room wall. 

I love what Christine Caine from A21 says, “The very thing that was meant to destroy you can be used by God to catapult you into your destiny! “  

We can honestly say our marriage is stronger than it has ever been.  There is no doubt in our minds Satan wants to destroy us.  We are still fighting through things and we always will.  Looking back on parts of our life, seeing where we have been helps us see how God’s fingerprints are all over it.   God has done something only he could do with us!   

God held us and He can hold you too.  Let Him into your mess!  He already knows all of it.   We are living proof that it is Never Too Late to Live Happily Ever After. 

Good Gifts

I love giving gifts to people.  It’s fun picking out something we believe they will enjoy.  I think I have said this before but I am shopping for Christmas presents the day after Christmas every year.  Sometimes it is even hard for me to keep presents a secret from my family or friends because of my excitement.  I love getting gifts or planning special surprises for my children!!! It truly is one of my favorite things.  I have usually thought about their gifts for Christmas or Birthdays months in advance.  And truth be told,I am much more excited for them to open their presents than I am to receive gifts.  I really believe God loves giving gifts to His children too.  I truly believe He is giving them all the time and we need to be more aware of them or maybe willing to accept them.

According to worldometers.com there are over over 7,459,107,955 people in the world.  This is an extraordinary number!  I am just one of those people here on Earth.  So it’s pretty incredible when God does something just for me.  And I’ve had many of these moments in my life and its makes me feel incredibly loved.  To be remembered and thought of by anyone makes you feel special, that whole feeling gets magnified by infinity when the Creator of the World gives you gift.  

So I want to share some of the amazing ways God has shown His love to me.  They are truly gifts from Him because no person could know me the way He does. His timing is always perfect.

This first gift happens quite often for me and I really believe it’s Gods way of showing me His love.  Traveling with three little kids for any excursion is always a bit chaotic.  Going to the store is an adventure and finding parking can sometimes be tricky.  Very often a parking lot can be very full and we’ll find one parking spot right up front.  Whenever this happens I thank God right away.  I

There have been some stressful mornings!  I’ll be honest most mornings get a bit crazy here at our house. Some mornings I leave feeling so guilty because someone’s crying and I have to go work.  During my drive to school sometimes a song will come on the radio and I know God wanted me to hear it.  These moments usually involve me getting to school with tear streaks down my face.  Other mornings I’ll see a magnificent sunrise, a red sky with beautiful clouds or a huge glowing moon.  God shows Himself to me through nature because He knows it calms my soul.  He knows exactly what I need and lets me know He’s with me.

During Mike’s time in the hospital, rehab and his transition home it was an incredibly difficult time for our family.  It’s one of the times in my life where I questioned and doubted so much.  I had no idea who I could really trust during this time.   It was one of the loneliest times in my life.  Because the hurt was so deep on many levels I pretty much isolated myself from the world.  I needed time and God knew that.  But even in my isolation He sent me people at the perfect time to show His love to me and my family.  One day I had to go to post office and I tried to go everywhere quickly in hopes of avoiding talking to anyone.  Yet on this day I was spotted by a kind women from church and she came over to my car before I was able to pull out.  She looked at me with the kindest eyes and said, “Sweetie I was just praying for you this morning.”  And then she asked how I was doing.  She was genuine and had little tears in her eyes and I felt like God was letting me know I could trust her.  This woman continued to be the hands and feet of Jesus to me.  She would write me letters, drop off a meal or send me a small gift.

 This past summer we had the joy of visiting Mike’s family in Maine.  We absolutely enjoy our time in this beautiful state.  I love the rocky coast and everything about southern Maine.   It’s one of my favorite places ever.   We decided at the very last minute to make a change in our trip and visit York Harbor.  Mike and I had vacationed there prior to having children and we were so eager to share this special place with them someday. This was the peak of the tourist season and we were able to get a room right on the ocean by our favorite beach.  But the part which completely confirmed to me God was blessing our decision to be there was when we had the entire beach to ourselves.  We got to watch our three children run free on a beach, splash in the ocean, chase seagulls and have an amazing time.  I remember sitting there, thanking and praising God for this day.  Only HE could have given us this incredible time to have a beach to ourselves for just our family!  That day filled Mike and me with such peace.  We felt God’s love on our family in a big big way that day.

And now the whole reason the idea this blog post came to me today.  Last night while I was looking on Facebook, I saw a post from a women who owns a boutique in Clarence NY.  She was giving away a beautiful wrap. I love her shop and I love her.  She has been a prayer warrior for my family. She radiates Gods light!  She has unique items in her store and only a few of each.  So I sent a photo of this item to my mom by email late at night with a short note asking her to see if she could find this item for me.  Yes I am 35 years old and asking my mom to go shop for me (I promised to pay her).   Well my mom had a day full of errands and hadn’t checked her email.  I tried to explain this item to my mother over the phone when we talked around noon. She was going to try to get the shop later in the afternoon once she had done a Halloween event with my nieces along with some errands.  So around 4:00pm my mom walked into this little shop in Clarence. Once she was in the shop she saw the owner of the shop coming out of the back storage room holding the exact item I sent my mother in to find!!!!  My mother told her the reason she was in the store and both women realized it was a God moment!  The owner had sold three of this item today and only had two left!  One of which was the giveaway I saw online.  I know to some of you this may seem silly but I feel Gods timing was in this.   For the owner to be holding in her hands the exact item I sent my mother in for at that time!!!  

For years I have loved the verse 1 John 3:1.  See what quality of love the Father has given us, that we should be named and called and counted the children of God!  And so we are!  The reason that the world does not know us is that it does not know Him.

We really are His children and He lavishes us with his love and care.  Even in the little things, like a piece of clothing!  But truly His greatest gift to us is His Son.  Jesus.  He sent His Son to this Earth for us and for Him to be with us.  And not only that, He watched His Son die for us as a sacrifice for every single sin we’ve done or will ever do.  There is no greater gift of love than this.  And all that God wants is for us to accept this gift.  He wants you to make your own choice to pick Him.  He doesn’t force us to choose Him because He’s given us free will.  I hope and pray that if you have not made that decision to ask Jesus to be Lord of your life that you would consider to do so.  I promise it will change your life.  Please feel free to reach out to me personally if you want to make this commitment in your life.  I would be happy to talk with you and pray with you.

Love and Blessings to you all.  May you be more aware of God’s gifts to you.

Those Times When...

There are those times.

Those times in life when something unexpected happens that you didn’t see coming and your shocked.  Maybe it’s a phone call from a family member or a Doctor. Those times when the wind is completely taken out of your sails and everything stops.   Maybe someone else got a promotion at work or that dream job you thought was yours didn’t work out. Those times when your heart is aching and you cannot even cry yet.  Maybe you suddenly lost a loved one or your child is very sick. Those times when it feels like you’re falling and your just waiting to hit solid ground.  Maybe your marriage is a mess or someone you love has hurt your very badly.  Those times in life when you cannot get your mind to stop racing and rethinking everything.  Maybe there is someone you need to forgive and make peace with or there is something in your past you need to let go of and let God take it.   This list could most certainly go on.  We never know what a day may bring or how our past hurts affect us. 

Recently my husband and I were given some very sad news which was unexpected.  Years ago news like this would have been handled very differently by each of us. Michael would have buried it, been mad and not really thought about it. God has done a great deal of work in us over the past decade.  Thank goodness we are all a work in progress!

I would have thought about it too much and been mad at God.   Yes I am being totally honest with you I have been mad at God!  And years ago I would never have written these words because I didn’t even realize I was upset at Him. I thought I was angry about the circumstances but really my anger was toward Him. I have been mad at Him for not giving me what I want and felt was deserved. I have been mad at Him about circumstances in my life which I felt He could have handled in a different way. I have been mad at him for blessing others in ways I so desperately wanted to be blessed in!    And you know what?  There is freedom in me being raw and honest about my hurt with Him.  Because He can handle me being mad.  He gets me and knows every single thought and secret.    He knows I am a mess!  And I needed to be in place to know it’s okay to be in mess and not be okay.  I feel such peace knowing that He is the only one that understands every single part of me.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  And the crazier part is He loves me knowing all of it!

 While there is a part of me that wonders “why” there is also a knowing in my heart God is God and He knows what He is doing.  He also sees things in the future and His plans for me are good.  Though there are certainly times in life when things don’t feel good.  I do believe what His Word says.

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."  

I love how He has thoughts and plans for me! Its hard for my mind to understand that the One who placed the stars in the sky and separated the waters thinks about me.  I also love He wants to give me HOPE in my final outcome.   He knows the end result and He is thinking about it and planning it for Me!

I said earlier God has worked on me for the past decade and I want to share with you some things which have helped me.   Maybe some of them will help you too.

First, thankfulness!  When I am sad and overwhelmed Istart telling God all the things I am thankful for.  I may list 20 to 30 things and often times I will even say them aloud. There is something powerful about speaking it aloud because Satan hears it and he wants nothing more than to keep us feeling hopeless and stuck.  God hears these words of thankfulness too.  I also thank Him for prayers He has answered and I thank Him for what is going to do.   

Second, I go out and do something for someone else or pray for others in need.  Recently, we took the whole family shopping and we made some boxes for Operation Christmas child.   I think it’s healthy to put the sadness into something which blesses another.  Getting beyond ourselves puts things into perspective.  

Third, dive into the Bible.  Galations 6:9 says, “Let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”  

Finally, listen to praise and worship music.  God gave me such a beautiful song which spoke to my heart.  It’s called Thy Will by Hillary Scott.   I also believe we battle by praise.  It amazes me sometimes the songs God will bring back to me, and the words are healing.

I want to close with something Billy Graham wrote, “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.”   There is no limit to God.  There is no limit to His wisdom.  There is no limit to His power.  There is no limit to His love.  When we know this in our hearts, it helps us remember that He is able to accomplish things we can’t do ourselves.

So with tears in my eyes, please know in your hearts our God is ABLE to do things we cannot do for ourselves.  

Blessings and love to each of you

Jen 

Moments...

Oh Summer, I have eagerly been awaiting your arrival. My dreaming of reading any book I want, drinking coffee in a real cup, gardening around my house, swimming, traveling, cookouts, camping trips and a days of leisure. But, now that you are here it seems somewhat bittersweet.  For all of my fellow teacher friends the end of the school year brings so many extra loose ends which need to be tied up and very excited children who cannot wait for summer vacation.   But it also means an ending.  It means saying goodbye to 20 little faces who you’ve watched blossom and grow. It means letting them go onto their next adventure.  My heart is always sad at the end of a school-year leaving my class.  

As a momma now to two first graders, this one hit me harder than I expected.  My little miracle boys finished their Kindergarten year. They love school and I am delighted with their progress.  They’ve become little men who are each their own little person.  Landon is our quirky old soul.  He is an amazing reader, talks about numbers and loves to do summersaults.  Then there’s our Jack.  He is lively and always on the go, enjoys writing, is a good reader and has made great gains with his speech.  And did I mention they are getting SOOOO big?    

Then there is of course our Lil Miss Reagan.  She had an amazing pre school teacher! Reagan is spunky, talks to us like she’s ten, likes to dance, make up songs and is quite a leader.   Our Lil “Cheese” (as we call her) starts Pre Kindergarten this year.  The thought of all of our children in school is quite overwhelming but also amazing.  Everyone tells you how fast it goes and they are right.  It happens in what seems like a blink of an eye.   Minutes become hours, hours turn into a day, days become weeks, weeks become months and those months become years.   But they all begin with moments. Which may really be seconds when we break it down.  And as I have so many mixed emotions about how time cannot stand still,  I am determined to celebrate and embrace the moments.   Because I don’t get those back.  Most mornings Mike makes me an espresso and we try to sit down for five minutes. Sometimes during that time we pray together or go through our schedule. While five minutes seems short those moments of connecting together set the stage for our day.  It helps us be on the same page and partner in our crazy adventure of parenting and being married.  Our time is precious even in the craziness of the day.   The running around getting everyone dressed before school, making sure the shoes match and their lunch is in their backpacks.  Cleaning up the milk which spilled from breakfast or stepping on legos. The sound of little feet in the morning running into our bedroom and jumping on our bed for morning snuggles, watching our kids get off the school bus and walking down the road with their backpacks on, working on Kindergarten research projects, painting fingernails every color of the rainbow, reading stories, making dinner, doing laundry and trying to find matching socks!   Moments!!!!   

So to you sweet summer,  as I look at you from the beginning,  my goal is to enjoy the little moments and celebrate the now.  I want to not rush so much to the next things.  I want to slow my mind day and embrace the Now.  Even if the now doesn’t seem so great it is all part of this life God has planned for me.  I have found the moments which seem unpleasant are often gifts of learning or appreciation.   I want to open the gift of this very moment and embrace it!   Because the next minute is coming no matter what I do.    

So this summer as I am embracing moments I also want to fix my attention on God because He changes me from the inside out.  (Romans 12:2)    I want my eyes to see what He wants me to see.  I want my mind to know what He wants me to know.  I want my heart to beat with His ways.  I want to see what He wants me to see in my moments!

Blessings to you this summer.  May it be full of joy, relaxation, some yummy ice cream, even some cannon ball jumping, firefly catching, and listening to the wind blow through the leaves moments. 

Wounds and Scars

“What if the wounds we beg God to heal, the burdens we plead with Him to remove, are the very things that make us fit for His service? ”

— Sheila Walsh

I am sure we all have scars.  They are reminders of our past pain or trials.   One of my scars I have had since I was in primary school.  I honestly do not remember how I got hurt but I do remember the day the scab came off.  I was singing in Sunday School about how the Foolish Man built his house upon the sand.  When the rains come down and the floods came up I was actively into the song and my scab went flying off!  Since the wound underneath was not completely healed, I bled a lot! 

Another one of my scars I received when I was 29.  This scar is almost 5 inches long and it is one I honestly praise God for daily.  There were weeks of scary moments leading up to the morning I was raced into the OR with a team of medical professionals.   It’s my caesarean section scar.  My first pregnancy was full of complications and battles.  The twins were taken by emergency c section at 26 weeks.    They then fought for their lives and were in the NICU for three months.  After facing infertility for years and then delivering my boys before the third trimester, that scar is a real reminder to me of God’s faithfulness.  

There are also many scars that are not visible.  I believe is some ways those wounds were deeper.  Maybe you wear one of those scars.   They come in many different forms.  Maybe you were emotionally abused, abandoned by someone you care deeply about, or hurt by the words a coworker or boss said to you.  Maybe depression or anxiety have made made you feel hopeless, or gossip has left you experiencing defeat. Are you divorced or separated? Were you sexually abused?  Have you endured infertility, or a miscarriage, or are you grieving?  Are any of these your wounds? I am sure there are many more that could be added to the list.

The reality is many times those wounds can be reopened and the pain comes flooding right back.  Just like when a scab comes off. Sometimes they are exposed by the same reoccurring circumstance.  Yet often we pick or pull off the scab which needs to help heal the wound.  

Scabs are pretty amazing and yes kinda gross too!  While on the top we see a reddish brown hard surface beneath it new cells are being made while repairing the wound.  Blood vessels which were damaged are being made new.  White blood cells are fighting infection and getting rid of the dead blood and skin cells.  It is kind of like a war going on under that glob.  Eventually we get a new layer of skin!   Yet many of us are scab pickers!  Our picking can undo the healing process which our body is trying to do.  And our picking at times can also make the healing process take longer!

But sometimes we have wounds which are so deep they need to be reopened to have more infection come out. Once, when Mike was younger he had an infection in his finger that had to be punctured and drained.  I know its gross to talk about, but unless the wound gets cleaned out, infection can cause real damage.  I remember a dear pastor friend telling me sometimes a wound needs to be reopened to continue getting the infection out.  The wounds cannot simply be left unattended.  We have to be intentional about getting to the bottom of them. If wounds are deep enough, it can take time to peel each layer back and clean out the infection one section at a time.

“Infection - invasion/replication of microoganziems within the wounded area, leading to cell injury and tissue damage.”

— thefreedictionary.com

The words which stand out to me in that definition are “invasion”, “injury” and “damage”.    We all have had times in our lives when we’ve been invaded or hurt.  These traumas or difficult times cause injury and pain.  Sometime we feel damaged beyond repair.

Sometimes these wounds may be internal due to repeated trauma.  I have had some wounds like this in my life.  And these wounds do not reveal visual scars, but they are there nonetheless, and the effects of those wounds can be paralyzing.

But they don't have to be...

I can honestly say, I have felt that way at times in my life. The enemy wants us to feel that way.  He wants us to keep reliving the pain. He wants us to feel hopeless, alone and broken to the point we can’t be restored.  I want you to know those are lies from Satan himself.  Because there is nothing you could have done, had done to you or that will ever happen that God cannot heal.  Nothing!

God so very much wants to be the healer of our wounds.    

In Psalm 147 we read, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”   God wants to bring peace and restoration. 

“From the city men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out.”  Job 24:12

I love how this verse says, ”and the souls of the wounded cry out.”  Oh my gosh have I cried out to God before.  God already knows all things but when we cry out to Him or ask for His help we let Him in.  And that is when healing can begin.

In Isaiah 53:5 it tells us “by His wounds we are healed.”  On the cross Jesus made a way for complete healing.  That means in every area.  There is no wound that His amazing grace and love cannot heal.  But we need to let Him!   Maybe you are wondering how to let Him.  Tell Him ...Ask Him...  And speak to Him out loud so the Enemy hears you.  God knows your heart and your deepest desires.     I encourage you to pray these scriptures aloud.  Maybe you even feel lead to pray these verses for someone you know who is really battling and struggling right now.  

Whatever your current wound or scar, God wants to completely heal and restore you.  All we need to do is let the Great Physician in!

In Exodus 15:26 it reads ... “I am the Lord who heals you.”   Amen and Amen!   I pray you let the Great I Am heal your wounds, and may the scars still left behind be a reminder of His goodness.

Infertility...I Thank You

For some of you this title may be a surprise, but I am very sincere when I say I am thankful for infertility.  And for those who are experiencing the pain and anguish that goes with infertility please don't think I am being insensitive to what you are going through.  

My husband and I battled infertility for many years.  I would love to tell you we battled together but that wasn’t really the case.  We started our infertility journey in very different places.  I had desperately longed to be a mom and was willing to contemplate many different scenarios for building a family.  My husband very much wanted to be a father and he was certain he could pray me pregnant. I do believe God is all powerful and could most certainly bless us with a child naturally.  I still pray for that! Yet at the time there was something in me which sensed that may not possibly be His Plan for us right now.

So while I wanted to get the fertility testing done my husband was resistant.  This was a journey we were on together yet it seemed as if we were walking along different roads.  This meant waiting and I had already been waiting for years.

I was constantly searching through adoption websites gathering as much information as I could get.  I remember looking at other couples’ profiles who were hoping to be selected by a birth mother in hopes of being chosen.    I read many of their stories with tears streaming down my face.  It was the only connection I had during this season to people in similar circumstances.  I had not shared my desperate desire to start a family with anyone.  I had isolated myself from the world.   Even Mike was tired of my efforts and what he perceived to be my baby obsession.

Then right around my birthday I had a meltdown!  Mike and I told my parents we had been trying to get pregnant and things were not working out.  It was quite an awkward conversation as my parents proceeded to tell us HOW they got pregnant.  LOL!  Its rather funny now but at the time I was mortified.  Needless to say, Mike was uncomfortable because who wants to talk with their in laws about sex!  Yet this was the pivotable point because Michael was willing to have us start the fertility testing process.

I’ll never forgot the day he called my classroom in tears with results of some of the tests.  My heart ached as we continued on.  We went to the best fertility clinic in the region and the Doctor told us his plan of action.  After the appointment Mike and I both sensed in our spirit God had a different plan for our family building.

After speaking with Bethany Christian services we journeyed into the adventure and incredible process of being selected by donors who had remaining embroyos from their IVF cycle.  Their family was complete after having twin daughters and they wanted the rest of their embroyos to have a chance at life.  After many tests, a homestudy, working with an adoption agency and an intermediary counselor we were matched with 9 blastocycts which had been frozen for 14 years!   

During our transfer 5 blastocycts were thawed and three survived.  Three little embryos were transferred.  We were blessed double with our twins in July 2010.  We had been married for over five years and we were delighted to be parents!  Our sweet little sons came into the world very very early and are mighty miracles.   That will be it’s own blog post entitled Why I am grateful to be a Preemie Mama!

Why am I grateful for infertility?

First and foremost ....Had I not faced infertility I would not be the mother to Jack, Landon or Reagan.  They are absolutely amazing and they came to be in a way I never would have imagined.  We built our family through embroyo donation!  Michael and I are not genetically linked to our children ,however, there isn’t a doubt in our mind that God destined them to be Quimbys!  

Had I not faced infertility I would have never known that there are more than 500,000 embroyos cryoperserved.  This is absolutly amazing to me!  So many little possibilities waiting for their chance:)  I am so incredibly grateful to families who donate their remaining embryos to families who have faced a diagnosis of infertility. Never in my mind could I have imagined becoming a mommy to embroyos who were frozen for 14 or 16 years!  Absolutely Awesome ... these little ones waited a LONG time for me to be their mama!

Had I not faced infertility I would not have met some incredibly amazing doctors.  Dr. Jeffrey Keenan and Carol Sommerfelt at the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) were involved in our transfers. I remember before our second transfer Carol came in with tears in her eyes when the first vial of embroyos thawed.  She knew we had been praying.  Having your embroyologist so incredibly invested with her patients is such a blessing!  I also had quite a crew of doctors, nurses, ultrasound technicians, pharamcists and secretaries helping me along the way.  God showed up in so many ways letting us know He was with us! These people have all become like angels here on Earth who rode this rollercoaster ride with us.  

I am grateful for infertility because I have learned to think in different ways. It was such a process, very stressful at times and I was stretched in ways I had no idea were possible.  When we experience circumstances we have never encountered we also become aware of opportunites we never knew exsisted.  We learn a lot about ourselves!

I am grateful for infertility because I appreciate everything about our children! I can honestly say I celebrated every single dirty diaper I changed!  I felt like I waited so long to be a mama I embraced all the puking, pooping and sleepless nights! I remember praying to God for a life filled with dirty socks, smudged windows from finger prints and stinky diapers!  Oh my gosh did He ever deliver and I praise Him for that!

I am grateful for infertility because I have been given the opportunity to cry with, talk with and support other women who have or are struggling with infertility.  I know the freedom I felt once I met another woman who understood my pain.  Crying in her arms and looking into her eyes brought such great comfort.  Infertility parallels grief in so many ways. Grief is a process and cycles through so many emotions.  I love being able to partner with others out there and let them know there is hope!

So infertility to you I say ....   I by no means have forgotten the many nights of me crying myself to sleep in my pillow, or struggling with everyone elses pregnancy annoucement, or being devasted each month as I was reminded I was not pregnant,  or the endless questions from people if I was pregnant, didn’t I want to be pregnant or did I know how to get pregnant?!?!  I have not forgotten the struggle of walking around stores seeing young teenage girls pregnant and feeling angry inside.  I have not forgotten the struggle to go to church on Mother’s Day and aching inside and upset with God for not answering my desperate prayer request to be a mother.   I have not forgotten the inward war which I battled constantly in my mind!  I have not forgotten you!!!! 

 But I know now I gave you way too much power in my mind.  I allowed you to make me feel less of a person.... I allowed you to make me feel hopeless ... I allowed you to isolate me ....  I allowed you to distance me from my walk with God at times.  These things I regret the most! 

Infertility ... you were a mountain I did not see coming in the landscape of my life.  You were one of the biggest challenges I have faced.  Yet I made my way up your rugged terrain to find a glorious sight!  Without this mountain I would never have become a mommy to three absolutely amazing children!  While I first looked at you I saw defeat and a hopeless road.  But what you really were doing was developing my character, building my faith muscles and helping me become a stronger person which also has made me a more grateful human being!   

Infertility has strengthend my faith in a Mighty God and His timing.  He was with me every step of the way.  Many of those steps were painful, terrifying and difficult.  Yet He gave me a strength and determination I did not know I could have.  He Provided me in every circumstance with amazing people who loved us and joyfully took on heavy burdens to help us.  He Led and He Carried me, my husband and my sweet lil babies!

To you infertility ... I thank you ... you made it possible for me to be a mommy!!!  A mommy in a way I never imagined!     

Some More of My Favorites!

It’s been a while since I have done a post let alone a fun, light-hearted one.  The weather outside is crazy. Snow is blowing and driving is a bit tricky but we ventured out to the grocery store regardless.  So here I sit in the Wegman's cafe drinking a delicious almond latte across from my hubby!  He is working on his I-Pad while on the phone talking about church ministry while I get to share some of my favorites with you.  

Check him out!!!  Looking all mature and focused ...don’t let him fool you!

My first favorite to share with you is my new found obsession!  My lovely sister-in-law gave me some wonderful products from Lush! I am in LOVE! I have told Mike whenever he gets me a present just go to that store from now on :)  And truth be told I know my husband is using these products too!  Here are two of my favorites currently.  They offer them in smaller sizes but I am glad to have the larger sizes since my nearest Lush store is an hour and half away.  Please know a little bit goes a long way and do not worry at all if you by chance get some in your mouth.  They taste yummy!!! 

Check out their websitewww.lushusa.com

So I have talked about my dear friend Tiffany before.  She introduces me to many amazing products ... like my vanilla almond tea.  She gave me this Hurraw! lip balm and it’s incredible.  They make a yummy mint and also a grapefruit flavor which are pretty great too!  This one is vanilla bean.

I am one of those essential oil people. My hubby and I are wellness advocates but we do not do parties.  We just love Doterra products.  I love telling my family and friends about essential oils.  I am certain our children are healthier since we started using them.  Our kiddos will not go to sleep unless their difussers are going and Reagan frequently will ask for oil on her tummy!

Here is one of my current go to oils!  This is the Joyful blend called Elevation.  It makes me feel so happy!  Yet again my dear friend Tiffany ( I am telling you she is the best)  gave me this necklace.  It’s a diffuser so I can smell my favortie blends all day long.  Plus it looks pretty too!  I cannot tell you how often people complement me on it or want to smell it :)  What can I say I am all about sharing my love for essential oils!

Difusser necklace ...This one is from www.mkt.com/pure-agape 

Another one of my favorites is Beth Moore.  I am currently enjoying one of her bible studies with 18 women and our group seems to be growing.  This makes my heart so incredibly happy! Our current study is called Believing God.  It is a joy learning and growing with so many women.  I would greatly encourage you to check out one of her books or bible studies sometime.  She is a great bible teacher and has overcome a lot in her life. She greatly inspires me.   Plus, I love her energy and spunk.

www.lproof.org

LASHES!!!! 3D Moodstruck 3D fiber lashes. Oh my goodness this younique stuff is fabulous.  I am on my third set!   Seriously consider giving this product a try.  My photo here is me only putting on one application.  Come on who does not want rediculasly long eyelashes? 
www.youniqueproducts.com/AndreaClarkL  
http://www.amazinglashesforall.com

Fear Not! (Part 1)

Let’s face it we all have things we are scared of.  Secret fears ... some of which we are open about and others we keep hidden hoping to never expose.

As for me... I am afraid of spiders.  I still ask Mike to come get them most of the time.  There were times when we first got married I would catch them in cups and leave them for him to dispose of when he got home.  He seriously would come home and find a mug upside on the floor and he knew he would be “finding” some creature beneath!   Yet having children has made this a bit different.  While I am not a fan of the arachnid population I do not want to instill this fear into my children.   My one son brought home the most perfect book from his school library to help with my fear!    It’s entitled I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton.  I was laughing out loud throughout the story with my children.  I also learned a plethora of information concerning these lovely arachnids and appreciate them more!  It is a definite read for all!  

One of the verses we frequently say with our children at bedtime is “God helps me I will not be afraid.”  God did not give us a spirit of fear.  He wants us to live with freedom and peace.   Yet fears are constantly surrounding us and for some they overcome our whole life!

Recently Mike and I traveled to Nashville for a conference.   This trip involved flying which is my least preferred way to travel.  I have only flown a few times since my father’s death.  My father died on February 12th, 2009 in the Flight 3407 plane crash in Clarence Center, NY.  It was a very difficult time for my family and we miss my father everyday.

Our flight out was really smooth and Mike kept taking photos of the sun rising.  It was really beautiful and such a powerful illustration to me.  My mind of course takes me back to the plane crash and what my father must have been feeling in those last moments of his life.  As scared as I was it brought me peace to keep my eyes on the sun rising and the dawning of the day.   You see, the Creator of the universe made the sun which my eyes were set upon.  When we face fear we need to set our eyes on the Son of God who brings perfect peace in our moments of fear.

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. ”

— Hebrews 12:2

He never lost sight of what the big plan was -- He finished His race!!!  He endured every imagined hardship one could face here on Earth:  The Cross,  Shame , Pain, Hunger, Abandonment, etc.  And now He is seated next to His Father in Heaven... The Creator of the Universe.  

I really believe God gave me this illustration on the way to Nashville in order to prepare me for our return landing in Cleveland.  The weather in Cleveland was not good due to a snow storm.  The winds made ourdescent and landing very bumpy.  I squeezed Mike’s hand so hard until we touched the ground.  The visibility was so limited due to the storm we did not even see the ground until a few moments before we landed.  We hit that runway and I was praising God in my mind!!!!    The man next to me looked over and told me he was holding his cross and praying to Jesus during the landing.  I just smiled at him.  He was so right on with his words.

Ultimately we need to keep our eyes on the Son and on the Cross.  That is where our focus should always be. Sometimes it’s smooth travels and other times its a bumpy go of it.  But no matter what it’s where our focus needs to be. 

A New Day, A New Year

A new day ... January 1st, 2016! Of course I have been reflecting back on 2015.  It certainly was a year of many changes for our family.  We made a big transition this year as Mike left his full time job of 17 years to take on a new ministry opportunity.  It’s been quite a ride but God has revealed Himself in many ways.  We are humbled and excited to see what God has in store for us during this new season of ministry for our family. 

Getting past Christmas always brings a sense of relief and awe. The season brings with it so many exciting happenings which demand a lot of time and energy. Especially since we are currently doing our church services in a movie theatre.  Our hope is that if it’s God will He will bless our church with a building.  In His time and only if it’s in His Will!  This Christmas Eve we needed to find another venue which God provided since the theatre was not an option.  It was a special night and we were grateful to worship with nearly 200 people to celebrate Our Lord and Savior’s birth!  

Mike and I have been able to work more on our music lately! This has been a dream for a long time.  In the next week we are excited to have the opportunity to do our first local radio show.  It will be a time for us to share our story and some songs.  We have also been grateful for connections with people who are looking for hope in their lives.  While we by no means have life all figured out we do understand what it means to struggle when it seems like there is no hope. And we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that with God all things are possible! 
Even when the world tells you it is impossible.  

I have absolutely LOVED my start to the school year with my Kindergarteners.  They have amazed me and I adore them. While my days are quite exhausting, I am grateful to work with amazing cohorts.  There is no doubt in my mind God has blessed me with some special people who work with me to impact these young students.  Even now as I am on Winter break I miss my sweet lil kinder.  However it has been incredibly wonderful being home with my family and recharging some.  Unfortunately, I had the flu right before break and it visited me again at the start of break. I am beyond thankful my family did not get sick!  

The boys have really been enjoying Kindergarten this year.  Jack is making good gains with his speech skills and enjoying everything about school.  He is a bundle of energy and excitement.    Landon is also doing very well - especially excelling with his reading.  The Doctors in the NICU told us we would not know about his brain development until he was in school due the unknown amount of time he was without oxygen at birth.   Some of my friends have told me, "of course he is a good reader because you are a teacher."  To them I say, "It is a God thing!"  There is not a day that goes by that I do not recognize the miracles each of my children are.    Our Little Miss is  enjoying PreSchool so much!  We absolute adore her teachers and everything they do with her.  She makes the most beautiful crafts!  Mike is also doing two music sessions at her preschool each week.  He so cherishes his time with her.  At first I think he was a bit concerned if he was actually going to be able to captivate his new little audience.   In many ways he looks at it as a gift and a second chance to make new memories with his little girl.   Thank goodness we have a God who gives those second chances!  

Now on to the new year! Maybe you have made a whole long list of resolutions! There is such a freshness about the beginning of the year.  January marks a fresh start and clean slate.  We surely all have areas we would like to improve in.  For me I want to: spend more quality, focused time with my family, invest more into relationships, manage stress better, create more opportunities for peace and stillness, write more and to grow deeper in my relationship with God. 

To me these are great hopes and plans.  I believe we all eagerly anticipate fulfilling our resolutions.  So what can we do to help ourselves?  Statistics certainly show in a couple weeks many of our “resolutions” will merely be an afterthought or wish.  But its my hope with some tools at my disposal I can follow though and stay the course!  

Tools are important.  As crazy as it seems I got myself a coloring book.  A coloring book made for adults!  This is to help me create some peace and stillness.  Yesterday morning Mike and I started an online couples video devotional featuring a couple that have ministered to us via their online ministry. My marriage is the most important relationship I can have besides my relationship with God.  And our marriage has certainly experienced some trouble and turmoil in the past decade! In addition to that resource, Mike also got me a new devotional called Revealing Jesus by Darlene Zschech.  I am eager to dive into this devotional for my own personal quiet time.  Now this last one may seem a bit silly to some of you but I have been introduced to some amazing new soaps and scrubs thanks to my lovely sister in law!  And I can tell you they help me de-stress.  So I feel like I have put some tools into my toolbox to help me with my resolutions!  Yep! You got it right! A coloring book, some soaps and a couples devotional.  

So what do you need in your tool box to help you make 2016 the best yet?  Are you wanting to get healthy?  Break some bad habits or develop some good ones?  Maybe you need to commit to being more active in church or joining a small group in order to grow in your faith!  Are there relationships in your life that need to be restored?  Whatever it is you are wanting to accomplish this year, realize that God is with you!  He can do anything in and through you if you are willing! 

It's a new day and a new year!

Wishing you a very Happy New Year and a 2016 filled with Joy, Hope and Peace!    

The Most Wonderful Time

I really love this season.  And so often I really do feel it is The Most Wonderful Time.  The twinkling lights, Christmas music and carols, giving and receiving presents, time with family and friends, decking the halls, Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties, sending Christmas cards, remembering to move the Elf, Christmas cookies, special dinners, concerts, Christmas pageants and so much more!

However, I feel sometimes I get too caught up in my “to do” list or the hustle and bustle of it all. I have found myself a couple times this Christmas season feeling a nudge to sit down and read some books with my kiddos or make some homemade ornaments with them.  Precious moments which certainly become the memories we cherish most.  I am 34 and as I reflect back on special Christmases, the moments I savor have nothing to do with presents but moments.  I loved being in the kitchen with my daddy. I loved decorating cookies with my grandma. I loved driving home from church Christmas Eve in the snow. I loved singing Silent Night while lifting my candle up at church. I loved watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and I loved making advent wreathes and homemade ornaments with my family.

Mike and I do the 12 Days of Christmas.  Each night we give one another a small gift. For example we give candy, candles, a chapstick or socks! It’s a fun little tradition we started years ago.  The other night he gave me a book entitled “A Treasury of Christmas Miracles” by Karen Kingsbury.  It is filled with short stories of God’s Presence.  Needless to say I loved my present!!!  So much so he did not realize I had bought them for presents for many of my friends!  I do not want to miss for a moment what this whole season centers around and the reason for it all.   A baby wrapped in clothes lying in a manger.  God sent US His One and Only Son to be here on Earth with us.  To live with us and to experience this world with all of its trouble, pain and joy.  It is hard for my mind to comprehend the Creator of the Universe becoming human.  The One who separated the waters on Earth and placed every star in the sky.  The One who walked upon this planet and never made any mistakes.  He lived a sinless life.  A man who loved above all else and gave His life for a world that had no idea of the gift they were being given.   

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

That gift is available to us at any time in our lives.   And it’s free!  Yet it is the best present we can ever receive here on this Earth.  It is my deepest hope that if you have not asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life you will do so this Christmas.  I promise accepting this gift will forever change your life.  

If you want the special gift of Jesus you can pray this simple prayer:

God I know I have made mistakes in my life. Please forgive me. I believe you are the Son of God. I believe you died on a cross to save me from my sins. I believe you ascended into heaven and one day you are coming back again. Lord help me live a life which is pleasing to you.  Thank you for loving me.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time please let us know!  We would love to pray for you and help you get connected to the community of faith!

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.  May it be a time filled with peace and joy.   Blessings and warm wishes. 

The Perfect Tree

Holidays make my heart happy. I enjoy planning for them months in advance.  The day after Christmas I usually shop for the following Christmas.  It’s become kind of a tradition for Mike and me to pick out the following year’s wrapping paper, bows, tags, ornaments and small gifts.  My mama watches the kids while we pop into a couple of stores to do our secret shopping.  It’s a date of sorts which starts out with a Starbucks run!!! Hey we all need our final gingerbread latte fix or Christmas Blend coffee! Then off to Target, Pier One and sometimes even Walmart (if Mike’s in a good mood) we go. I honestly get a tad bit excited the following year when I find the bag of all the treasures from our previous shopping trip.  

Throughout the year I tuck items away for the kids in a special cupboard.  So my Christmas excitement builds the entire year.  Since I have lost gifts in the past I try to put them all in the same location.  I am sure many of us have found intended Christmas presents hidden in places later in the year.   

The day after Thanksgiving I want all the halls decked.  Since Mike is in full time ministry Christmas is quite busy.  We enjoy having it all done once we dive into December.   The day usually entails getting the tree, putting up some lights outdoors, possibly wrapping some gifts and making cookie dough.  

This year we got up bright and early.  The kiddos piled in the mini van eager with excitement to go find the perfect Christmas tree!  Mike had done some internet research and made a few phone calls.  We had a plan! 

We ended up at a really nice “cut-your-own-tree” farm.  There were tons of trees.  The family who owned the farm was incredibly friendly. The kids had fun running through the rows of beautiful pines.   We looked and looked.  There was quite a variety of trees that included balsams and frasier firs (Mike’s favorite) but none of them seemed to be the right one.    I have always had a soft spot for fat trees.  After we had been searching for a while, Mike said to me, “Jen I will cut any tree you want ...even if it’s fat and topless.”   This will forever be a favorite quote of mine for many Christmas’ to come!   Eventually the owner came over and wondered how we were doing.  I felt so guilty because I could not find the right tree and wanted to look somewhere else.   Mike explained to the man we had hoped for a taller tree.  The man was so kind and told us of another tree farm down the road.  We thanked him and took our mini van over some more hills.   

Once we got to the next place we all got out of the van and Mike spotted the perfect tree in less than a minute!   I was super excited!!! It really was a beautiful tree. The man handed us a saw and let us know if we needed help he would cut it down.    Before Mike started to cut I found a birds’ nest in the tree. It was a perfect little nest which we tucked into the tree beside us.   During this whole experience Mike had many thoughts of Clark Grizwold from the movie Christmas Vacation running through his mind.   One of his favorite movies ... not mine!

The nice man who owns the tree farm cut our tree down for us using a chainsaw.  Mike helped the man drag our tree toward the baler.  Now came the incredibly entertaining part ... getting the tree on the van.  It wasn’t quite as large as the Grizwold’s tree, but we still needed a backhoe!  Did I mention the tree was nine feet tall and over six feet wide!  I told you I like fat trees!  Our children were very entertained to see a large piece of equipment putting their Christmas tree on the van.   It was quite the trip for sure.  We finally had a Christmas tree and met some really special people along the journey.

Off we went toward home to continue on the adventure.  We had to get the tree in!   I suggested Mike drive around to the back door so we could load the tree right into the room that would host it for the next four weeks.  Well, my poor husband ended up getting the van stuck in our yard.  Which resulted in two of our kind neighbors helping him.  Those same kind neighbors also helped him get the tree in the house.   

Now that the tree was inside it was time to get it in the tree stand.  That turned out to be not a good idea since our tree was too heavy for our stand.  We tried and tried to get that darn tree to stay up but it wouldn’t! So we had the kids get into their Christmas PJ’s and pile in the car after they ate lunch.  We were grateful good old Home Depot had a Christmas tree stand made just for trees like the one we hauled home!

I think so often circumstances become much more than we ever imagined them to be.   During these times we may complain and get frustrated, we may quit, we may settle or we may press on.  Our attitude drives how we handle circumstances. Because we pressed on we ended up with our perfect tree!

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

To be honest the roadblocks of our tree adventure were quite entertaining in my book.  And I was very proud of my husband whose attitude was amazing.  His only real frustration was when he got the van stuck in the lawn.  And our lawn is an absolute mess right now due to a construction project.  So what’s another area we now need to seed in the spring?  It’s just dirt after all.

When I look back on this day I smile!  Honestly, a few years ago this type of day could have gone in a completely different direction.  The frustration of the day could have been overwhelming. There very well could have been unmet expectations and very likely some hurt feelings.  We have grown a lot as a couple in the past years.  And while this post is about picking a Christmas tree I feel it symbolizes something so much bigger for our lives.  

I have learned I often plan too much for a day and then become disappointed because I did not get enough accomplished.  This is a battle for me since I also have a full time job outside of the home.  My hope is to take advantage of our time as a family of five as much as possible.  Mike is good at helping me have realistic expectations.  And Mike knew the whole picking out the tree things was important to me.  He knows I am all about the experience and making the memory with the kiddos.  During our many years of battling infertility we would talk about when we have kids then we will get a real tree!  I remember our first Christmas with the twins and bundling them in snow suits to go get our very first real tree.  So yes a Christmas tree is most certainly a symbol of this special season.  But to us it represents life and answered prayers! 

It did not matter at the end of the day if we did not do everything on “MY” to do list. I am very thankful God continues to grow me.   He is working in our marriage and giving us a sense of togetherness like we have never had before.  God knows we still have a lot of learning and growing to do.  

I am grateful for the memories we made, the people we met, the helpers who came along and a really beautiful Christmas tree.  I love that we laughed so much that day about all the little road blocks.  We are still laughing.  Our children had a great day and found the whole experience very fun!  We did the whole thing together as a family!  After the ordeal this tree may still be here during Easter!  

A Time to Refocus

It most certainly has been a long time since I have done a blog post.  I hope you all had a very special Thanksgiving holiday.  Here we were grateful to be able to host.  I love having people over, I love cooking, I love making the menu, I love getting the table all set, I love sending people home with leftovers and I even love cleaning up.  I know why I love all of these things too.  I get to do them with or for people.  We were created for relationships.  God made us this way for a reason.  He wants us to connect with others but He also wants us to connect with Him.

A few weeks ago I was having a mind battle.  I allowed my brain to take me to thoughts which stir up frustration and anger.  The reality is we all have past hurts parts of our lives that cause pain.  As I was driving I felt the emotions building when suddenly my daughter raised her hands in the air and shouted “WEEEE”.  We were driving on some hilly roads at the time.  My boys quickly joined in the excitement and followed suit by waving their hands while screaming “WEEEEE” as well.   It was in the that moment I felt God say, “Stop!  Focus on what’s happening right now and enjoy this moment.”     I love when He speaks to me like that.  In the following moments we continued along in the mini van over the hills pretending we were on a rollercoaster.  Praise God for helping me refocus on what’s really important and where my mental energy should really be going.  I am grateful for the many, many good things He has done in my life.  My children are mighty little miracles!

I am one of those Disney fanatics.  It truly is one of my secret wishes to one day be the voice of a Disney princess :) Anyways, this moment brought me not to a Disney princess moment but to a Lion King moment.  Remember when Rafaki hit Simba over the the head?

Simba - Ow!  Jeez, what was that for?
Rafiki - It doesn’t matter.  It’s in the past.  (laughs)
Simba - Yeah, but it still hurts.
Rafiki - Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it or .... learn from it.
ion King 1994 from IMDb.com (Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick)

We all have pain from our past. And I know I have learned quite a bit about myself through the hurts and times of struggle.  I have also learned how much God loves me through tough seasons and how He is always there.   This world is filled with joy and sorrow.  It’s such an intermingled conglomeration of sorts.  One I find hard to wrap my mind around and which brings me to a place where I am so grateful for a God who understands it all.  

I love what Phillippians 3:13-14 reads:  “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”    

In Isaiah 43:18-19 we read, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

There is not a doubt in my mind that God is doing a new thing in my life and in the life of my family. I am so incredibly grateful for this.  I also know Satan wants nothing more than to take me back to times that were terrible and painful.  It’s his goal to keep me there while trying to block the way forward.   If I get stuck there I know I will miss out on what God has in store.  God plans to use and already has used some painful times from my past for His Glory.   So the next time you begin to have a war going on in your mind taking you back to your past, look for God.  He is there and maybe He’ll use a child to scream “WEEEE” in the backseat. Or maybe he will use something else!

He is also the God of all healing.  Maybe there are hurts in your past which are too heavy for you to bear.  God does not want you to bear them.  Cast your cares on Him.  In Psalm 55:22 it reads, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” 

Keep pressing on because I promise you it’s going to be good!  He makes all things GOOD!

THE STILL SMALL VOICE

 

Well I do not know about what has been going on in your world ...but it certainly has been a whirlwind of a week here.  I am beyond thankful for the weekend and a little bit of rest.  The thought of making a big pot of sauce, doing some baking or crafting with my kiddos, a coffee date with my husband, watching Hallmark movies and taking a nap are all on the schedule for the weekend!

There are seasons in life that are so jam packed with events and things to do.   Many of us have demanding jobs, deadlines, parents who need our care, family or friends facing difficulties, piano lessons, dance lessons , sporting events and church commitments. It's easy to fill up our schedules with really good things but sometimes we pack them so full there is no time left to breathe.  The reality is we do create our schedules and sometimes make our life impossible running here and there.   We make choices about what we do.  There are 24 hours in each day!

 This fall I really wanted the twins to do something since their little sister would be taking dance lessons once a week.  The reality is though after Mike and I looked at our weekly schedule there was no time.   The boys are exhausted after school and need to rest.  The kids are all ready for bed by 7:00pm.   Our evenings and Saturday afternoons are for family. While in my mind this felt so unfair for the twins to not do a special something like their sister, it's a good thing.  It's the right choice for our family right now.  The boys do not care in the least and are incredibly happy.    I created a problem in my mind about making everything fair for the kids with their activities and there was not even a problem!   I have also always struggled with saying no to things. Then I would feel so much guilt when I finally did say no to something.  This is an area God has been working on for a while in my life and I am thankful He is.  

Yesterday when I came home from work, I looked in the yard and saw there were a few more outdoor things to get done.  My husband had been busily working outside during the week and had already done a lot.   But my brain started telling me, it's going to snow you better get out there, you can work a couple hours before it gets dark.   Then another quiet voice not filled with guilt said, "Go inside."    And a year ago I would not have listened to that second voice.  I would have pushed even when exhausted and worked outside.   Truth is, I was tired and was starting to get sick.  I needed to eat something and rest.  And I did just that.  I was asleep before 7:30.  My husband read the kids their stories, did all the bedtime routines and put them to bed.  And then again, a voice of guilt said, "you better get up there and help him" and then following that the still small voice said, "rest".  And again I listened to the second voice.     While this may seem silly, this is quite a victory for me.    The yard work will certainly get done and my children know I love them even if I was not the one who did their bedtime routine last night.     

I encourage you to listen to that still small voice inside.  Do not be guilted into doing something you know you should not be doing at the time.  God does not work that way.  He wants you to take care of yourself and have peace.   Goodness knows so many of us need a little bit more peace in our lives.  May you carve out some moments for rest this weekend.    Once we get a little rest and take care of ourselves we are able to do what we need to do with a better attitude and have peace!

Friday Favorites

I LOVE THIS BIBLE!   I have recommended it often to friends.  This has been my Bible for a couple years.  It's the Amplified Version and it has lots of extra devotionals mixed throughout.  Joyce Meyer has and continues to be an inspiration to me.  I use this Bible each morning during my quiet time.  

I am one of those people who gets incredibly excited about Pumpkins and Fall.  I love Wegmans coffee and I'm thankful to have decaf and regular coffee.  I have already started decorating for Autumn.  Bring on the cornstalks, leaves, mums, sweaters, boots, soups, apple cider, and crisp cool air.  I am ready for Fall!  Who would like to join me for some pumpkin coffee???

I will continue along the Wegmans theme here!  Sorbet!!!  Be still my heart!   I enjoy the grapefruit, lemon, mango and passion fruit varieties.  I honestly have not found a flavor I do not enjoy.  The other great part about Sorbet is that it's only 120 calories a serving.  Currently Mike is buying 3 of these a week for me!  LOL!  This past week my children have learned of my love for it.  I think we may need to buy more than three a week now.  The Quimbits love it now too!

Lipsticks!  I have been a Bare Minerals girl for a long time and I still love their stuff.  But I am loving my NARS now.  This is the color Gipsy.  It's got a little shine to it and wears for a long time.  I am eager to add more of their lipsticks to my collection.

My momma gave me this bracelet.  It has the verse Jer 29:11 on it.  I really like the constant reminder of scripture.  I also think it's beautiful.

He Makes All Things Good!

I know how I used to feel when people would tell me, “Oh just wait on God’s timing” or“God is in control.”  These sayings would make me smile outwardly to the person giving the advice but inside I would be incredibly frustrated.   I am a control freak and I like to plan. I saw other people getting jobs or having children but it was not working out in my life.  I remember being angry, then I would feel guilty for being angry.  I remember thinking, “Well that person made bad choices in that area of their life and I didn’t so why do they get the blessing?”  It was a cycle of very unhealthy thinking, expectation and frustration. I am grateful only by God’s grace and patience with me have I learned a very important lesson.  His timing is perfect!   Thankfully, this is an area of my life which God has greatly worked on over the years!   However, the reality is for many of us we want it our way because we really think we know best.  

We also hate to wait for things.  Our Western World in some ways has truly ruined us because we expect to receive immediate delivery on our every wish.  Think about it.  If we are hungry we drive to the nearest fast food place and we can request exactly what we want down to how many pickles we’d like on our deluxe hamburger!  Ordering coffee can require a 15 second explanation.  Or maybe you are planning a vacation or a home remodeling project. CHOICES, OPTIONS, IDEAS... seem to be endless! I love shoes, and shopping for them brings me great joy.  Yet I have the hardest time finding black shoes because there are simply too many choices.  Please don’t get me wrong - I love options and it’s a privilege to be given variety.  But I think we expect it in every aspect of our lives.  We also expect to have our wants immediately and to have them exactly like our expectations. The truth is God doesn’t work in our timeframe.  He sees a much bigger picture and sometimes what we want is honestly not His best for us.   And sometimes God waits to answer when all other options are gone because the option he wants for us wasn’t in our plan.

I remember when I was so eager to get my first teaching job.  I had some interviews and it just wasn’t working out the way I was hoping.  I was so disappointed and frustrated that God was not opening doors for me.  I knew He had called me into teaching and I knew I was gifted in this area.   However, God knew I was going to meet the love of my life in a different county.   God did not immediately open up a teaching job for me but He did open up a Teaching Assistant job working with an autistic kindergarten child.  It was an amazing experience and I grew so much.  I also met a forever friend.  

Eventually, a full time teaching job opened up mid year in another school district.  It was a first grade job in a beautiful turn key room.  I remember going in on a Saturday with my family and the principal came in and we prayed in my classroom.  Now THAT is God’s timing and His perfect plan.  I am grateful to work in such a beautiful building, with incredibly special people, partnering with excellent families and teaching students who all hold a special place in my heart. I know God wanted me there. 

Then there came the season of infertility and I desperately longed for a baby.  I just could not understand why so many people around me were having children and we were not conceiving.  I remember pleading with God to become pregnant.  I wondered if I had done something wrong and that is why He was not answering my request. After fertility testing our specialist recommended IVF, but we were not sure that was the right path for us.  

We contacted an adoption agency and started getting information.  The process, the wait and cost beyond overwhelmed me.  I kept asking, “God why do we have to prove we can be good parents?” or “God why do we have to pay to have children?” At this point I was desperate and I heard a sermon on fasting.  My husband and I started a fast in January 2009.  We did a Daniel Fast for 21 Days where we only ate fruits and vegetables.  God spoke to us during our Fast and lead in a direction we had never even imagined.  We were to use donated embryos (ones that remained from IVF cycles) to start our family.  

Our first open arrangement (meaning there would be some sort of communication through an intermediary) was not the best fit for Mike and me. So in haste we quickly selected a closed agreement (complete anonymity) and picked another group of embryos.  I panicked because I had already been on the medication getting ready for a transfer.  I felt it was God’s will for us to have an open agreement.  Yet I so desperately wanted to be pregnant.  As it turned out the transfer was not successful and we lost all the embryos.  However, we tried again for another open agreement and we were matched with another family.  This transfer was a success and each vial we have used has had life in it!  We now have three amazing children who are all genetic siblings.  They are our miracles.  The twins were“frozen” for 14 years before they were thawed.  And our Lil Miss was “frozen” for 16 years!  We do not doubt at all God has big plans for them.  We know He destined them to be Quimbys.  We have already seen how their lives have impacted His Kingdom.  (My pregnancies are their own stories and so are my sweet littles but those are for other blog posts).

I see a bigger picture now.  Do I still remember desperately wanting that teaching job or crying, begging God to become pregnant?  Absolutely!  But, I also know His plans are better than mine.  It sure would have been easier to get that teaching job and become pregnant right away.  However, I would not have grown my faith muscles the way I have.  I would not be able to sympathize with other men and women facing infertility struggles. I would not have the passion for embryo donation like I do. I would not have gotten the job in the county where I was to meet my future spouse.  Romans 8:28 is one of my life verses!  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”    Please note that it states ALL THINGS!   That means the tiniest to the biggest things.  

Truth be told, I do not know what is really best for me.  I need God because without Him I am lost.  I believe in His Word.  And if He says He will work all things for the good of those who love him, then I am going to trust that.  And in all things that even means the bad things or the ugly things.  I have seen first hand how the messy parts of my life have become abundant blessings to others and even to me.  I have seen God work in circumstances where I had no hope.  I have seen Him create opportunities out of nowhere.  I have seen him save things which are so important and precious but they have to wait for the perfect time to arrive. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who takes it all and makes it so very good.  

Friday Favorites...

This is my most favorite tea!  I start each day with a cup of this with fat free half and half and a teaspoon of sugar.  My dear friend Tiffany gave it to me to try many years ago.  To this day I call it Tiffany Tea.   We honestly write Tiffany Tea on our grocery shopping lists.

This is my current devotional and I love it.  I really enjoy Sarah Young's words and thoughts.  I use the journal version of this and I like how I can write during my quiet time.  This is a devotional I have bought for family and friends.  

Yes I am one of those essential oil people!  It drives Mike crazy when I start talking to people about doTERRA.  My current favorite is grapefruit.  All summer long I put a drop or two in my water.  It tastes so refreshing and it boosts energy too!

I love my TOMS.  I also love their whole give back philosophy.  Not only are these ballet flats super cute they are incredibly comfortable.  I am on my feet all day.  Hint hint TOMS are on Zulily right now!

After my skin cancer scare last year I am much more careful with the sunshine.  Here are my two ways of bringing some color without basking in the sun.   The Dr Dennis Gross wipes are great and do not smell bad.  I even rip them in half and get two uses out of one packet.  I usually buy them on Amazon.    The Equate Healthy Glow Daily Moisturizer is what I use for my legs.  It is much cheaper than it's competitors and I feel it works great!  As for the smell, I think I have just gotten used to it. 

That's it for now.  I hope you have a great weekend!

Jen

A Time for Every Season

Well, it’s back to school time and I must tell you this is one of the most exciting times of the year for me.  Our new year basically starts now in the Quimby household.  Part of this is because I am a teacher, but I have always felt this way.  There is just something fun about new clothes, shoes, backpacks, school supplies and lunch boxes. It’s that time of year when I start meal planning again, trying to stock the freezer with some crockpot meals.  Last week, we did the Sam’s Club trip where we get the “lunch things.”  While I have loved summer and all the amazing fun memories we created, I’m eager for this next season.  Already, I am able to sense it in the air as cooler breezes and evenings are upon us. The feeling of autumn is right around the corner.  

      This year our boys start Kindergarten which brings so many emotions.  It truly is a mountain top moment!  I still remember the many days and nights I cried to have a baby. Then I remember crying happy tears when we found out we were pregnant with twins. More crying came when they were fighting for their lives in the NICU for three months. And of course there is still more crying as they grow and develop while meeting milestones we never knew would be possible.  I have so much to thank God for!  So while it’s sad because they are growing up and already going to Kindergarten.  It is also so incredibly Awesome that they are going to KINDERGARTEN!!!  Our Lil Miss is also starting Pre School this September.  She is so eager and excited.  It’s been fun for her getting her back-to-school things too!  All in all the Quimbits are as ready as they can be to Go Back To School!

This is a big year for me too.  I am switching grade levels which meant moving my room. All of you teachers know the work it is to pack up a room and then put it all into another room.  It was a great reason for me to sort and throw away.  I’ve been in education for 12 years now and having a mother who was in education for 40 years means I have accumulated a lot!   While it is a blessing to be given materials, I tend to get overwhelmed by too much stuff!

My heart has always been in Kindergarten and I am delighted to go back to teaching it this year. I have loved teaching first and second grades too. There is something almost magical about teaching primary children.  Their eagerness, wonder and joy make being a teacher truly one of the best jobs in my opinion.

So my life the past couple of weeks has involved hours of getting Kindergarten ready!  There are 21 sweet littles in my class so far.   I have been writing their names on what seems like everything, organizing, planning and setting up for my new learning family.  I cannot wait to meet them. I’ve also been praying for them and for myself.  I hope to meet their needs the best way possible.  I truly believe God places each and every child in my class who I am meant to teach.  I consider it a joy and a privilege.    So my room is as ready as it can be and I am ready to welcome 21 lil students very soon!

I think of Ecclesiastes 3:1: "To every thing is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven."   As September marks many new beginnings for our family I want to take hold of that: "there is a purpose for it all under heaven."  Not only are our young ones starting a new year in Kindergarten or Pre School, or for myself a new grade level,  my husband is beginning a new season of ministry in his life as well.  There are so many new things that it makes me a tad fearful but also extremely excited!  To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven.  God has amazing purpose for our lives in all seasons.  We must put Him first and seek His counsel.  Sometimes we just need to make a change and step out.  He promises to always be with us.  And I do not know about you but I am so incredibly thankful for that promise. In Dueteronomy 31:8 we read, "Be Strong and courageous.  Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you.”  

    I hope you have a great start to your school year!  May it not be too stressful. May you feel a sense of order in a time that gets so crazy. May you be able to celebrate how far your children have come and what they will become.  May you be able to embrace joy through the tears when they step onto that bus.  May you be able to boldly yet simply believe  there is a season for everything, a time to every purpose under the heaven.  God bless you and your family. May the 2015-2016 school-year be amazingly wonderful!

Love, Jen