Today was our first day out since the bug hit.... And what a day it was! We escaped the heat of the foothills and headed straight for the cool breezes of the mountains in Tahoe to show Clement the beauty that God made right here in our own little "village".
It was a gorgeous, perfect day. We hiked around Vikingsholm a bit (not too much since boys are still recovering a bit) and then took a picnic lunch to Kings Beach where we dipped our toes in the icy cold water and then scooped up the poles and bait for some crawdad fishing off of the jetty. It was a successful adventure! Clement declared himself the winner of crawdad fishing with a whopping total of FOUR crawdads caught at once. In this sport, it's not about the size. It's all about the quantity of how many you pull up at once. It's almost like playing a careful game of Pik-up-Stix or Jenga!
Today was a kiss on the cheek from Jesus. He restores us exactly when the need is there. Just yesterday I was telling my sister that I was trying not to feel discouraged with all of the sickness and disinfecting, but it was getting hard not to. I asked her to join me in prayer that my spirits would lift and the sickness would disappear. This morning, our house was FULL of smiles and laughter as we packed up the "bus" for our day away.
God is near... All the time.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Finding Joy In a Bug!
Our house has been overtaken by a nasty, germy bug! My week has included everything from mopping up human projectile to disinfecting door knobs and remote controls. There are no less than five different bottles of medicine on my kitchen counter. We have made two trips to the doctor's office and two trips to the pharmacy. All three boys are sick and our poor french exchange student is barely hanging in there at the moment. He says he rarely gets sick, but I feel it will take nothing less than a miracle for him to escape the nastiness in our house right now!
It's easy for me to feel discouraged and plain ol' exhausted during times like these. We're supposed to be off exploring our world here with Clement (our student)! Instead we are making it work closer to home. There is purpose in even this dumb bug that is infesting our home!
Today I took Clement (and Caleb, since he is feeling better) to lunch to escape for awhile. We sat outside on a beautiful patio at a little organic cafe here in town. It was a yummy lunch and a very sweet time of asking Clement questions about his home. It was a nice time of just slowing down and strengthening a relationship. It was a blessing.
Hopefully everyone feels better soon. Until then, we are happy to slow down and enjoy the beauty in each other and the little gifts that surround us here.
It's easy for me to feel discouraged and plain ol' exhausted during times like these. We're supposed to be off exploring our world here with Clement (our student)! Instead we are making it work closer to home. There is purpose in even this dumb bug that is infesting our home!
Today I took Clement (and Caleb, since he is feeling better) to lunch to escape for awhile. We sat outside on a beautiful patio at a little organic cafe here in town. It was a yummy lunch and a very sweet time of asking Clement questions about his home. It was a nice time of just slowing down and strengthening a relationship. It was a blessing.
Hopefully everyone feels better soon. Until then, we are happy to slow down and enjoy the beauty in each other and the little gifts that surround us here.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Mountains
Psalm 138:1
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart, before the gods
I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
Sometimes there are big mountains before me... Standing there to intimidate me and stop me from finding the joy deep down inside of myself. Sometimes the mountains aren't even that big at all, but they are still standing there to rob me.
I have but one question. Which is bigger... The mountain before me or the God who made me?
It all goes back to a song that I learned in Sunday School when I was a little girl. It went something like this:
'My God is so BIG... So strong and so mighty. There's NOTHING my God cannot do.'
He is here to move the mountains. He cares about that. He wants to move them! While that happens though, I need to give thanks and praise Him. In doing that, the mountain begins to crumble. It falls down around me and the path opens up. It may not be the path that I'm familiar with, but it is ALWAYS the path that He wants me on.
The joy that was once deep down within is now closer to the surface where it is supposed to be. Praising Him... Thanking Him brings us closer to Him.
It makes the mountains so small next to a God that is so much bigger!
Monday, July 25, 2011
New Birth
As I was driving home from a chiropractor appointment today, this very phrase ran across my brain several times...
A passion for praise.
At first I was confused about why this came to me. As I thought further though, it all made sense. I recently read about someone else's passion. I read the words carefully while I thought these questions in my head...
What is my passion?
Is my passion evident to those around me?
Is there physical evidence of my passion?
I thought these things and then I became distracted and forgot to answer them. In the car today, the Lord was just following through with me. He noticed the big question mark there and He knew it needed to be answered. A passion for praise is what I have been learning about for the past several months. It is something that I feel has changed inside of me. I used to be one that worried constantly... about everything. I am a planner and I have never been one for change. God knew just how to fix these things this year though, and that is just what we have been up to... He and I.
I am learning that it isn't something that can be fixed in my own timing. It is only in His, and I have even come as far to accept that it is something that I will most likely learn about for the rest of my life on earth! I have not only accepted it though. I have become full of excitement over this learning process. I CRAVE it!
Through all of this, praising Jesus is what I have become passionate about. My eyes have been opened to the fact that it is nearly impossible for any human being to have complete, authentic joy in their heart 24/7, BUT when we at least strive for that, the picture is always different and there is ALWAYS reason to give praise.
On these pages I hope to spread the contagious love and mercy of a God who sent His son to save me... to save US! Being passionate about praise has changed my life. It has changed how I handle life's ups and downs. It has changed my prayer life. It has changed me as a wife and it has changed how I parent my children.
Through this tiny conversation that I had with the Lord today in my car, I feel that I am being called to share about my passion for praising Jesus... In every circumstance. Thus, the birth of this new place. I pray that the words that I choose to type will always be only from Him. I want only to glorify Him. I would love for you to join me as we practice having His praise ALWAYS on our lips.
A passion for praise.
At first I was confused about why this came to me. As I thought further though, it all made sense. I recently read about someone else's passion. I read the words carefully while I thought these questions in my head...
What is my passion?
Is my passion evident to those around me?
Is there physical evidence of my passion?
I thought these things and then I became distracted and forgot to answer them. In the car today, the Lord was just following through with me. He noticed the big question mark there and He knew it needed to be answered. A passion for praise is what I have been learning about for the past several months. It is something that I feel has changed inside of me. I used to be one that worried constantly... about everything. I am a planner and I have never been one for change. God knew just how to fix these things this year though, and that is just what we have been up to... He and I.
I am learning that it isn't something that can be fixed in my own timing. It is only in His, and I have even come as far to accept that it is something that I will most likely learn about for the rest of my life on earth! I have not only accepted it though. I have become full of excitement over this learning process. I CRAVE it!
Through all of this, praising Jesus is what I have become passionate about. My eyes have been opened to the fact that it is nearly impossible for any human being to have complete, authentic joy in their heart 24/7, BUT when we at least strive for that, the picture is always different and there is ALWAYS reason to give praise.
On these pages I hope to spread the contagious love and mercy of a God who sent His son to save me... to save US! Being passionate about praise has changed my life. It has changed how I handle life's ups and downs. It has changed my prayer life. It has changed me as a wife and it has changed how I parent my children.
Through this tiny conversation that I had with the Lord today in my car, I feel that I am being called to share about my passion for praising Jesus... In every circumstance. Thus, the birth of this new place. I pray that the words that I choose to type will always be only from Him. I want only to glorify Him. I would love for you to join me as we practice having His praise ALWAYS on our lips.
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