When Tragedy Strikes

You can't turn the television on right now without hearing something about the tragic earthquake that hit Haiti a few weeks ago. What an unimaginable tragedy for such an impoverished country. Tens of thousands dead and many more still missing - thousands of children orphaned - and most all left without homes.

The world was brought to attention and many countries jumped at the chance to help this country after such a horrible tragedy. It is so inspiring to see so many reach out and help.

BUT, here is what bothers me...why do so many of us, myself included, wait until tragedy strikes to help those in need - when clearly the need for help existed long before the tragedy? I simply pose a question, not to judge, but to challenge. Challenge those of us who have to wait until something bad happens to pay attention. Challenge those of us who have to be told where and when to help - how to help and how much to give. Challenge those of us who are so caught up in our own lives to barely even notice when a neighbor is in need, let alone a group of people across the world.

My prayer for this year - my ONE THING - is to ask God to show me daily who is in need and how I can play a part in meeting their need BEFORE tragedy strikes. Will you accept the challenge? Join me and let me know if there is a way I can help you serve someone else in need.

Treasures in heaven

It's so hard this time of year to resist the commercialism that comes with celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. I try HARD but usually have little success.

I've been watching my pennies a lot lately - mostly watching them splurge on something that I don't need and then regret having later.

Why do we allow ourselves to be so consumed with stuff? I don't even feel like it's a matter of having or not having the money to spend but more about needing or not needing what we think - no Believe - we must have.

Some acquire things for status reasons - to appear like they are successful. Others buy things to fill a void - lonely in a relationship, overweight, bored. I tend to buy things I think are going to make me happy, as if my life is so unhappy to begin with. But once I buy, somehow I'm still not satisfied. In fact, I often find myself wanting more.

So, in the age of acquiring things to meet some need, I'm fighting back! It's a moment to moment battle but I'm pressing on. I want my legacy to be one of eternal treasures and not a storage unit full of junk my family must sift through. God is telling me in this season to resist buying things I don't need, with money I don't have, to impress people I don't know. I borrow this phrase from Pastor Craig Groeschel who God has used to help financially guide misguided people like me.

How are you fighting back?

A shift in thinking

I've been reading a "hot" book right now...The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. It was recommended to me by a new friend. She warned me it would "mess with my box" and I wasn't quite sure what that really meant. I'll have to admit it's not really messing with me as much as it is ministering to me.

I read a passage today that really hit me and I wanted to share my thoughts. It is a scene where the main characther, Mack, is talking with God. God asks Mack about his family and kids. Mack tells them all about each one and what they are doing as if God doesn't know. Then it hits him and he asks God...why did you ask about them when you already know? That is when God tells him that regardless of what he knows about our lives or our thoughts, he wants to hear it from us. It's all part of the relationship.

God, in the story, goes on to explain it like this - when a child experiences something for the first time and shares it with you, no matter if you already know exactly what they just learned, you listen intently and enjoy every moment of hearing their version of their own experience, because it came from them. I think about when my own child discovers something for the first time, or tells me a story of something we experienced together as if I wasn't even there, how much I enjoy hearing it in her own words through her eyes. I'm absolutely delighted and want her to go on and on.

That's what God does when we talk to him. No matter what he already knows about our life (because he was there), he loves for us to talk to him and tell him about it. He wants to hear it in our own words. He longs for our relationship. So many times the thought crosses my mind, "why pray and talk to God when he already knows?" Well, this illustration completely changed my thoughts on all of that.

I do pray often, but I find myself praying FOR something, not just talking to God and telling him about my life. Now I think I can begin to grasp, even in a small way, why it is so important to talk to God about everything. It's how we truly have a relationship with him. If all my own kids did when they talked to me was complain or ask for stuff, I'd probably want to cut their tongues out. It is really those times when we just talk that I truly delight in them. Now put yourself in God's place. Do you think he wants to cut your tongue out? I'm pretty sure he does mine.

Just something to think about.

Enjoy each moment

Today I went to the funeral of my great Uncle. He was only 74 years old. He died as a result of a disease he has battled for several years now. The disease attacked his body in such a way that he eventually lost muscle function and movement of his ENTIRE body. He spent his last year and a half lying on his back in a bed in a nursing home.

At the funeral, one of his sons admitted that he is very bitter over the death of his father. He said that it wasn't fair that just when his dad was getting into his retirement and getting a chance to really enjoy life, his was taken away. The pastor commented later in the service that while he was a little bitter too over Charles early departure from this earth, that he was now in a better place where he wouldn't even miss the past 3 years or so he spent in pain. And the pastor also reminded us that we shouldn't wait until retirement to begin enjoying life. That we need to begin enjoying our life today.

That got me thinking about my life. How much of my life do I really enjoy? Do I enjoy "discussing" with my almost 4 year old why she can't have another snack after we just had that same discussion 5 minutes before? Do I enjoy changing 6 diapers a day, half of which are poopy - day after day after day after day...? Do I enjoy paying bills, doing laundry, cooking dinner, running countless errands to keep my family functioning, going to the grocery store??? My answer is no. But why don't I enjoy those things? Because they are things I can't stop doing, how can I begin to enjoy them? I don't have an answer but will be seeking God to help me find the joy in the daily tasks.

You see, I don't want to look back on my life in 30 years and wonder where the time went and wished I had enjoyed it more. This is my life, the life God designed and intended for me to have. He gave this life to me to enjoy and to make His name known. To not enjoy it would be an insult to my Creator - like I'm telling him the life he gave me is not good enough.

And by the way, who says I'll even be around in 30 years to wish for it all back. There is a quote that says, "Enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life."

What are you doing (or not doing) to enjoy this moment that God has given you? Please share - it may give me and others the encouragement we need to truly find the joy that God intended for us to have.

Not So Much

To date this blog has been about what is going on in our family, and it may still contain some of that. But I feel like God is calling me to stretch myself into a place of vulnerability that I've never allowed myself to go before. I'm not really sure what that means yet, but as an act of obedience, whether anyone reads it or not, I'm going to begin posting on my blog things that are on my heart - an online, open to the public journal, I guess. I like to keep to myself - I can count on one hand and have fingers left over the number of people that know me - REALLY know me. I have lots of friends, but I let very few all the way in. I feel like God is asking me...telling me really, that I need to not only let others in, but I need to let myself out. To be REAL - not hiding behind a bubbly personality or a witty sense of humor. Please, don't run off thinking I'm going to start vomitting my junk all over this blog - that's not the plan. I'm just going to take my lead from the holy spirit. (I think God knows I'm on a budget and can't afford therapy - you be the judge.)

We finally closed on our house February 15th. This picture was taken before they were completely finished so the outside looks a bit different now but it's been so stinking windy or cold here, I haven't wanted to head outdoors to take any more pictures. Spring, please get here SOON! We love our new home and invite you to come over anytime for a visit.

We really are building a house, we promise!

We've been getting lots of questions about how our house is coming along. This picture is not quite current but pretty close - they have put the roof on and are waiting on inspections before putting up sheetrock and insulation; the brick has been in the front yard for almost a month so we expect to see that going up soon, too. Building a house is a lot of fun but a LONG wait, too. We still hope to be in by March but we aren't scheduling any movers just yet. We just take it week by week and get excited just knowing we'll be there in a few short months.

We're still here!!!

Okay, let's just say I haven't quite kept up on the blog. Having 2 children is a little more time consuming that I expected. Kate still loves her little brother as much today as she did the day he was born. She can't keep her hands off of him when they are in the same room and he's the very first person she wants to see when she wakes up. They are too cute. And Adam is pretty smitten with his sister, too! It's been so fun to watch him grow and change (TOO FAST). I'm going to try to stay up on this from now on - we'll see.

I'm the BIG Sister

Kate is the absolute BESTEST big sister in the entire world...we are convinced. We prayed so hard that Kate would have a smooth transition once Adam was here and we got more than we asked for. She loves her brother so much and wants to hold him and love on him almost every chance she gets. Yes, she is 2, and sometimes we have to take control of the situation, but overall she is very gentle with him. I'm pretty sure Adam wasn't born with just one mom, but two! We should have LOTS of fun stories to pass along as the weeks and months go by so keep checking the blog!

He's Here!!!!!

After nine months of waiting, growing, and much anticipation, the newest member of our family has FINALLY arrived!!! Adam Ryan was born on Friday, May 4th at 7:55 AM. He weighed 9 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 1/2" long. He has dark brown hair and is absolutely perfect!

Run Forrest...

Jay ran the OKC Memorial Marathon this past weekend...well, actually he ran the half marathon which is still a heck of a long run - 13 miles! He's always had a goal of running a full marathon so we look at this experience as a practice run at the real deal. Jay expected to run it in about an hour and 50 minutes, but really completed it in an hour and 43 minutes. That is GREAT for someone who really didn't train all that hard for the run - he had never even run 13 miles until that morning. He's so fired up about his run from this past weekend that he's ready to run ANOTHER half marathon in 2 weeks and start seriously training for a full marathon in November. Kate and I were down there to cheer him on to victory and are so proud of his accomplishment. I certainly don't see myself EVER running that far unless of course I'm running FROM something very scary. The pictures are of Jay post run - one was supposed to be of him crossing the finish line but my timing was a little off - he's hiding behind the volunteer working the finish line. If you look closely you can see the toe of his tennis shoe and I think his hand. Good work Sabrina. But you do see his time. He actually was back in the pack at the start so his official time I think was clocked at 1:42:33.

12 days, 10 hours, 30 minutes...

Well, we are counting down the days until our baby boy gets here. I'm having him by c-section on Friday, May 4th at 7:30 in the morning. Those of you who are in the metro area are welcome to come by and see us in the hospital - we'll be there until Monday morning. He has officially been named but we are keeping it a secret until he's born - pretty much because our life is not all that exciting so we thought we'd do something CRAZY to mix it up a bit! Kate is very aware of becoming a big sister and already has all sorts of things planned out to do with "Brother". She is ready to feed him, change his diaper, take a bath, and sleep with him. It is so cute to hear her talk about him as if he's here. She tickles and kisses my belly and says she's doing it to Brother. So cute!!! The picture is of myself and a good friend of mine, Randi. She is due in June and for some crazy reason I thought it would be fun to have a picture taken of our pregnant bellies...that is until I saw how HUGE I look compared to her. Everyone keeps saying that it's because I'm further along, or that I'm having my second and she is having her first, or that I'm short and I carry it differently - I say I'm just HUGE!!!! I'm okay with it because it's over in less than 2 weeks and then I can move on to worrying about every single calorie and how long I worked out at the gym. I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to those days again...anyway, just an update on the pregnancy front! Can't wait for it to be over!!!

Sleepers

Jay took Gracie on a 6 mile run last night and she was WIPED out! She came in the door and crashed!!! I put my sleep mask on her just to be silly and she didn't even flinch. Pretty amusing to us so we decided to share!

Little Miss Sunshine

I don't know if you've seen the movie Little Miss Sunshine but there is a little girl on there that has the quirkiest, cutest personality. Her outfit through most of the movie is shorts, a t-shirt, and cowboy boots. Kate had her jammies on tonight (well, most of the afternoon, actually) and then decided she wanted to put her boots on. Jay's mom was over and pointed out how she looked like Little Miss Sunshine. I had to share this with everyone!!! Too funny.

Easter Sunday

We had a lot of fun on Easter. Kate dressed up for church and then we made the rounds to all the grandparent's houses. Kate loved hunting for Easter eggs. Most kids get a lot of candy in their eggs, however, Kate's were full of money. Not that her mom or dad are complaining because every little bit will help fund her college education. We think she's pretty adorable!

Kate's Easter Program

Kate had an Easter program in her class last week. They learned three songs and sang them for all the parents. Kate knew the songs inside and out but got a little stage fright when it came down to actually performing. She was still the most adorable one there.