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Gratituesday: Sunrise

October 21, 2013 by Laura 7 Comments

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This week, our church has brought in Jerry and Lynn Jones to present their Relationships Matter seminar. Sunday through Wednesday of this week, we are blessed to go to hear them speak. I love that what they have to say is relevant in so many areas of life.

I loved this statement shared last night regarding walking through trying times in life:

What I hear in that is exactly what I feel God doing with me on my journey to let go of self. I can avoid doing battle, shrug off my struggles, put up my guard, and carry on as I have been. In many ways, it seems so much easier. Taking the hard path? Doing what is difficult? Seeking a whole heart that is fully God’s, while letting go of the control I so desperately want to hold onto? Why would I willingly go down a road so dark and difficult when I could just take the short-cut and avoid digging into the root of my sin?

If I really want to see the glory of the sunrise, if I want true healing and wholeness that can only come by way of full surrender to our creator – I will walk the harder road. I’ll journey down the path that seems dark because of all the unknowns through new territory. I’ll even walk it confidently because I am guided by the One who sees the way clearly.

The blessed irony of walking the difficult road is that letting go of control and grabbing the hand of the One who holds me while I stumble along is actually much easier than trying to navigate the road on my own cleverly constructed map. My own map has become a series of unsolvable mazes and dead-ends. It may seem well lit, but the roads lead to nowhere. Been there, done that. Now which way should I turn?

I’m choosing to head east. You’re walking me through this, Lord? You know where the potholes and branches are that I need to avoid? You see the dangers ahead and protect me from them? You know exactly where I’m supposed to turn and what I am supposed to do along the way? I give you the control then. Lead me, Lord.

I’ll joyfully keep taking steps toward the east, knowing that what awaits me on the other side is a beauty so radiant it can only been seen after looking through the black.

A glorious sunrise!

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Gratituesday: Bonus Day

September 2, 2013 by Laura 7 Comments

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Until last night, I had completely forgotten that Monday was a holiday. As a homeschooling (school anytime, anywhere) and self-employed (work anytime, anywhere) family – holidays like Labor Day don’t usually mean that much to us (until we try to figure out why we didn’t get any mail).

As it turned out, Matt had a day off from soccer with the college team, so he was home most of the day getting caught up on other work. We didn’t do school work officially – although I kept catching my eleven year old reading science books in his spare time. :) We caught up on laundry, thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, and for a little while this afternoon – I sat on the porch soaking in the sun and having extra time with God (and then with Malachi who came outside to see what I was up to). A couple of college students came to join us for our grilled bbq chicken dinner, some of us played cards until bedtime, and in general, we enjoyed a low-key day.

Since I’d forgotten we didn’t have any major outside responsibilities today, it was like being given a bonus day. Now, instead of starting a new work/school week on Monday, we’re starting on Gratituesday. How ’bout that?

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Gratituesday: Pruning

August 26, 2013 by Laura 11 Comments

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For my post today, I really want to type the entire chapter of John 15 and say that those words are what I am thankful for. Instead, I’ll encourage you to open your Bible and read them, chew on them, and let them teach you whatever it is you might need to learn.

I’ve been experiencing a lot of pruning in my life recently. It hurts. But it hurts in a way that brings joy. Never can I experience true joy until I let God pull from me what is keeping me from being whole. The pruning is painful. The end result is beauty.

Every time I try to serve, love, or make a decision on my own, God reminds me (with his gentle pruning) that without Him, I am a frustrated, exhausted, confused mess. “…apart from me you can do nothing” is what Jesus tells us in John 15:5. Yes, Lord, you are right.

And so, because I continually need to learn so that I can become more fruitful, I am very thankful for the pruning I receive. Is it unfruitful, Lord? Then please chop it off, cut it out, throw it away. I know it will sting. I will likely be sore. I may have to rest while I heal. But get rid of it. I just want to be fully yours.

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Gratituesday: Ah yes, this…

July 22, 2013 by Laura 12 Comments

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Well, here we are. At church camp. With the frogs. And the locusts. And those one things with a bunch of legs.

All bugs aside (and under my chair), I can tell from just one day of being here that church camp is exactly where God wants us to be this week. I’m watching our oldest son love his life as a camper. I’m watching our three other boys jump right in with their kitchen and canteen duties. I’m seeing Matt engage in meaningful conversation with youth and young adults. I’m experiencing God’s work through me as a teacher to teenage girls. And I am beginning to form relationships that I believe will be very important this week and into the future.

All I can say, is that this – this is the joy we experience when we listen to and obey God. That is why I’m here – me, the one who doesn’t “do camp.” God called me here for so many reasons. It is rich. It is beautiful.

And shucks, I haven’t had to cook a meal or wash a dish since I arrived. It’s a vacation, service opportunity, growing experience all in one. :)

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Gratituesday: The (Less Than) Perfect Day

June 17, 2013 by Laura 16 Comments

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Our boys’ schedules have been pretty full so far this summer with mission trips and camps. Our oldest two have been gone more than they’ve been home, and their summer fun has just begun.

I’m thankful to have them home for a couple of weeks after missing them while they’ve been off having grand adventures. Today, I had a great day planned (in my ideal mind). Malachi and I had appointments in Lincoln, which is about an hour away, and all of the boys needed to do some shopping, which required their feet coming along to Lincoln with me so that they could try on shoes.

Therefore, I thought that having all four of my boys together for a special outing sounded like a perfect way to enjoy time together since we’ve been so scattered for the past few weeks.

Uh-huh. Well, parts of it were fine and fun. And of course, I always love being with my kids even when they don’t act like angels. I don’t always act like an angel either, so I can’t fault them for being less than perfect. But wow. Today was a bit of a doozy.

There were too many feet and too many shoes that needed my “here let me feel your toe” expertise all at the same time – not to mention the fact that some of them weren’t looking at price tags before trying on shoes, so even if the toe was in the right place, it didn’t matter because $59 for a pair of shoes was not going to come close to making the cut. Then while one was trying on shorts, the others didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves so they found ridiculous ways to occupy themselves within the racks of clothes.

That was all before lunch. You don’t want to know what happened after that. I’m not kidding.

I’m sharing this on Gratituesday because while it’s tough to be grateful for a day that didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, and while I’m a bit discouraged and so tired I can barely type, life could be so much worse. It’s all a matter of perspective and hey, I still got to spend the day with all my boys. I’ve learned through parenting that it’s best to let go of the “ideal” and just embrace reality and be thankful for God’s grace. Today (especially the after lunch part) was a lesson in humility. It was good for me (she says as she chokes down pride).

For the record – and I may feel differently after a good night’s rest – I’m not sure I plan to take them shopping ever again so help me…or until their feet grow another shoe size, whichever happens first. So I think I should be good for about another two weeks.

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Gratituesday: Pull Up a Chair

June 10, 2013 by Laura 17 Comments

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I’m not good at just sitting. I love working hard and keeping busy, so it’s hard for me to just sit and do nothing. (As you can imagine, I am a joy to travel with. Cooped up in a car, seatbelt on, can’t cook, can’t exercise, can’t do anything but make long to-do lists for tasks that can’t be done anytime soon. It’s pretty.)

But lately, I have been learning that sitting doesn’t necessarily mean that I am doing nothing. I’ve been choosing to sit each morning (if possible) before I hit the day head on and take time to reflect and find refreshment in God’s word, simply by sitting still in His presence. If this doesn’t work in the mornings, I try to find time in the afternoon.

With our official school schedule on pause for the summer, I have realized that the “extra” time this affords me must be spent in this way. And come August, when school and soccer season come back in full force, somehow I’ve got to continue finding time for this. My health and heart need this.

I am beginning to understand what Martin Luther said hundreds of years ago: “I have so much to do that if I didn’t spend at least three hours a day in prayer I would never get it all done.” I’ve never understood what he meant. But now I can say: Yes, yes, yes!

Three hours, you ask? Well, I can’t say that I’m sitting that long each day. :) But taking time to stop, sit, be still, breathe, and listen to God absolutely does not take away from my work time or limit me in what I can accomplish the remainder of the day. On the contrary, it empowers me, energizes me, and allows me to more peacefully serve my family and others throughout the day. And in fact, I am finding that being more in tune with what God wants, the more I am able to wisely pick and choose how He’d like me to spend my time. God writes a much better “to-do” list for me than I can ever write for myself.

Having difficulty finding time to “get it all done” each day? Take time to sit with the Father. Ask Him how you should be spending your time. Listen for His answers. Breathe. Reflect. Pray. That’s the only way to tackle your to-do list. I am so grateful to be learning this.

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Gratituesday: Better Than a Cruise

May 20, 2013 by Laura 10 Comments

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We could have saved up for a cruise. We could have taken our kids to a theme park. And shucks, maybe we will do one or both someday. But after the week we have experienced, I’m not sure anything could compare to the fun we’ve had, the memories we’ve made, and the blessings we’ve received.

Since last Wednesday, we have been hitting various places in the Denver area and in Colorado Springs, serving in various ministries as God opened doors for us. We’re still not home, and therefore I’m not able to sit down and write out all of the details yet.

sevens_1

Yes, Malachi is wearing a vanilla wafer box (helmet?) on his head. Who says serving isn’t tons of fun?!

We have learned so much, have met so many wonderful people, and have reacquainted with many that we haven’t seen in years. We have had experiences we never could have had in our small town, seen sites and people that have made our hearts hurt, and been able to serve in ways that have brought us so much joy.

Beyond ministry opportunities, we were blessed to attend the wedding of one of the ladies on our YC soccer team. On the walk from the ceremony to the reception, we turned around and saw two young ladies that we haven’t seen for way too long. I admit it. I cried. We LOVE these girls. By the way: The one in the purple dress? I was her first grade teacher. Yep, taught that girl to read, I did. A few billion years later, she’s all grown up and I have four big kids. Great times.

wedding_1

Okay, that’s all I have time to share right now! I have loads of pictures, and thousands of words to share with you about this trip. Details are coming in a few days. I can’t thank God enough for this trip. His goodness constantly amazes me. How good it is to be a part of His family!

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Gratituesday: Meaningful Discussions

April 22, 2013 by Laura 14 Comments

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Sometimes, it seems like all there is time for when it comes to talking with our families is, “go put your shoes away” and “hurry up, it’s time to leave” type conversations. Sad, but true.

I find it funny (in a not so funny way) that I can be with my kids all day – teaching them, working with them, driving them to and from games and practices, and eating with them – and not always have very many meaningful conversations. Yes, logistics have to be worked out and plans have to be made. Recounting how the soccer game played out is fun. Joking around about what might happen if a ninja alien super hero giant rat was to join our household gets the creative juices flowing (and then some). Those types of conversations serve a purpose, there’s no doubt about it. (Although, ninja alien super hero giant rat? Really? Can we not sometimes stay just a little bit more within the realm of reality while we’re eating lunch?)

Lately, Matt and I have worked to be more intentional about making our boys think about and discuss more important, and sometimes difficult, topics. They are all old enough now (ages 8-15) to go beyond silly subjects and pointless jabber. And, because of their ages, no longer do we need to keep Bible study and character training as basic and simple as we did when they were little.

Last week, we studied in depth together 1 Corinthians 13. What is love? What does it really mean to love like Jesus loves? If love isn’t rude, isn’t self-seeking, isn’t easily angered, how then can we take on those godly traits? (As in, Laura isn’t rude, Laura isn’t self-seeking, Laura isn’t easily angered… Something to meditate on, for sure.)

This week, we are studying Ephesians 6, looking in depth at the armor of God and the spiritual battle we face each day. God has already won the battle! How can we put on our armor so that we can stand our ground when evil comes our way?

This has been a great opportunity for Matt and I to share our ideas on these topics with our kids. But even better? Hearing what our boys think. Letting them express what these scriptures mean to them. Watching the wheels turn in their minds while they consider God’s love and His power to help us fight our spiritual battles.

These conversations have been rich. Our goal is to keep them going. Here’s hoping our kids will learn and grow from what they are hearing and studying. I know I sure am.

And I will brace myself for the fact that we are sure to balance these discussions with vivid and detailed accounts of a one-eyed creature whose amazing super power has everything to do with none other than earsplitting, green, gaseous bodily functions, which means that he obviously takes over large cities by….

Well anyway. You get the picture.

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What Are The Gifts You Received Today?

March 20, 2013 by Laura 16 Comments

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one_thousand_gifts

I know we focus on being thankful each Gratituesday around here. But hey, we can focus again on it later in the week, right?!

I am currently reading through Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. It’s an amazing (and challenging) read, and I highly encourage this book. I am realizing the need tonight to focus on the blessings and gifts of today. Will you join me?

Some of my gifts today…

~ We got to eat lots of veggies!! Always wonderful after traveling. ;)

~ I was blessed to have a most encouraging telephone conversation with my Aunt Millie this morning. Oh how I love, need, and am inspired by that woman. She is a beautiful woman of God. She begins chemo treatments tomorrow. And there she was encouraging me…

~ Prayer. What would we do without it?

~ It’s the first day of spring! It is still cold here, but today, the sunshine busted through the windows, giving us just a hint of what is to come.

~ I got to be sharpened in Ladies Bible Class tonight. I am surrounded there by godly women.

~ We have enough food in our fridge for leftovers at lunchtime tomorrow. Hooray for the thirteen peas!

~ I got to squeeze in a work-out today. It was just what I needed after sitting in the van (and eating cheesecake) yesterday.

~ Since I was able to keep up with laundry at our lodge in Branson, by tonight, I only have one load left to do from our trip.

~ There were casseroles in the freezer for us to warm up and eat today so that I didn’t have to stop working to cook.

~ You. I am blessed by each of you who choose to read my thoughts and ideas here on this blog. I appreciate you.

~ Made-up songs. My boys come up with them daily. Today was no exception. Sometimes they even rhyme. And they are always ridiculously funny.

~ Crashing in my own bed. That ranks right up there with eating veggies after returning home from vacation. :)

What about you? Share the gifts of today. What comes to mind? In what ways are you blessed?

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Gratituesday: Freezer Food, Which Was Made to Be Eaten (A Little Post That Laura Wrote To Herself That You Are Welcome To Read If You’d Like)

August 27, 2012 by Laura 44 Comments

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Ah, Freezer Food…

I have a blast thinking through which meals will be helpful to have on hand to pull out with a moment’s notice. I spend hours preparing it. I experiment with new recipes that will keep nicely in the freezer. I store the healthy, prepared food carefully away for the “busy days”. I keep note of it in the back of my mind, thankful that it is there in the freezer if I need it.

And then I hoard it. I hesitate to use it, even on busy days, knowing that there just may be an upcoming day that’s even busier when I will need that particular frozen meal. So I quickly cook something else, even if I don’t have time, saving the frozen, prepared meals for a “busier day”.

Hello, Laura?!!? Every day right now is a busy day!!! You’ve found yourself coming and going every day for the past three weeks. You’ve barely had time to sit at the computer and you are getting more and more behind on your work. Apples are coming out your ears, waiting to be made into applesauce and canned for the winter. You desperately need to go check the garden to see what else is ready to preserve. God continues to put people in your life to serve, there is school work to be done, phone calls to return, and you haven’t been able to keep up with the nasty dishes crawling out of the kitchen sink since the end of July.

Exactly what kind of busy day are you waiting for that will qualify as a “good day to pull out some freezer food”?

Um…apparently I have been waiting for the days when we are chasing ourselves off to six soccer games, or well…I don’t know. There truly will be days that are busier than those which I am experiencing right now. But barely.

On a day when I feel overwhelmed with everything on my “must-do” list – that is the day for the Freezer Food to come out. That is what it is for, after all.

Here’s a picture of today’s BBQ Chicken Sandwich right before I threw it at my husband
when he came home for ten minutes between soccer practices.
Fresh tomatoes and sweet peppers from our garden made this a great meal,
all of which I put together very quickly since I utilized my frozen food stash of BBQ Chicken.

Today, I am incredibly thankful that I spent the time a few weeks ago to stock my freezer with ready-to-eat foods. And today, I hereby give myself full permission to USE THEM!

Oh, and if you were worried, I didn’t really throw the sandwich at Matt. I handed it to him carefully so as not to fling bbq sauce and tomatoes, and I even managed to slap a kiss on his cheek as he headed out the door again.

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