A Far Stretch To Simple

I love the Lord SSSOOO MUCH!!!

If I were honest with myself, I would have to admit that I have had a hurricane brewing within me for quite some time now. It's funny how we don't always recognize that hurricane in us...we just think it's a normal everyday feeling. I have been sick since a week ago Sunday. I AM feeling better...but not completely yet. I only mention I have been sick because that sickness has taken me out of "life" for a week and a half. I am usually much more on the go, much more busy around here, and have MUCH more on my mind. I hate being sick, but I love that when we are sick, it gives us the opportunity to shut ourselves up long enough to hear from God. I think HE has allowed my sickness to linger, so I can learn a couple of things about myself that I either didn't know, or wasn't willing to admit.

I remember several years ago, my Grandma Ella May once said of me that I would never be content to stay in one place for very long...that I always need change, always need to move or be on the go...etc. etc...never "hunker down" in one place for good. I remember that it hurt me that she said that, because, in my mind, even way back then, my dream was always to have a place to call home...a place to stay forever (as forever as we can be here on this earth serving the Lord). A place that I would NEVER have to pack up and move away from again....and the thought that SHE thought I would never be that person, hurt my feelings. I KNOW she did not say it in a hurtful way, and she would have been crushed to think she hurt my feelings...but that statement has always stuck with me. Every time we have moved, I hear Grandma's voice.

I have been in a place where I desperately want to move again, and I don't even know why. I feel like Nebraska is on my mind...I don't know why....I have dear friends in Medford, and would love nothing more than to live near them all, to the point I was almost making myself sick from the fact that I don't live near them, and can't see them anytime I want.

So, what's my point in all of this? In this sickness over the last week and a half, I have been completely, overwhelmingly reminded that "Godliness with contentment is great gain" 1 Timothy 6:6 Contentment...this really has not been one of my strong suits. I mean...I AM content in many many things, but I am NOT content in a few things that I need to let go of. So, I am letting go of moving away (not that that was ever really an option). I AM content here...I have wonderful friends who I desperately love, we live in a beautiful little town, with a wonderful little church, Erik and I were just discussing what wonderful teachers our kids have had this year...we love our little school, we live in a beautiful home (we rent, but who knows what God will provide where that is concerned). I am letting go of having to know what's around the corner for us...God has that under control. I am letting go of feelings that have been feeding me lies: You need to move to Nebraska to be in Gods will....you need to move to Medford to be near new friends and in God's will.

"A Far Stretch To Simple"...I have learned that true contentment for me in going to come in the form of simplicity. I am a far stretch from simple now...but with God's help, for my role as wife and mom, I want to move us to the simple life....less gadgets....more campfires.....less t.v. ....more family walks.....less fast food (which we have been doing immensely better at)..... more fresh food (maybe a trip to farmers market?) I wish I knew how to sew, and make jams...etc....I know it all sounds so "Little House On The Prairie" but, what's wrong with that?

Lord, thank You for this time of sickness!
Have a wonderfully blessed day!

P.S. I should mention that we only live 3.5 hours away from Medford, and I CAN go there pretty much anytime I want. AND I only live 6 hours away from my wonderful sister and her family....can't get there as much as I want...but I sure make the effort to do so. A 6hr trip is a far cry from when they lived in Wyoming....thank the Lord they are soooo much closer now.

Breathing

WHEW!!! I HATE BEING SICK!!!
Over Memorial weekend we had a brilliant plan to go the property and spend the night on Sunday and the most of the day on Monday....however, Sunday I started sneezing like crazy...I mean crazy crazy. So we persevered through the night around the campfire (my favorite part of camping by the way) and then went to bed. Not sleep so much, just bed....I had a hard time sleeping with the ever increasing pressure building up in my sinus's and my throat killing, then came the wonderful body ache...needless to say....I was worthless by Monday. We came home, hoping I would get better, but I progressively got worse....so bad I finally caved and went to the Dr....turns our that I indeed have a sinus infection.....but I also acquired an ear infection. Ahhh, the joys of sickness. Well, today is a new day, with a few days of meds in me....and I CAN FINALLY BREATHE AGAIN!! WOOHOO. Still a little bit of sinus issue but not too bad...the ear on the other hand....still have about half my hearing and a whole lot of ringing.
When you are as sick as I have been this last week....it gets depressing. Well, it used to get a whole lot more depressing...watching my house get dirtier and dirtier, watching my kids eat cereal for dinner because I am too sick to get up and make anything and my husband is working late...you know, all the mommy things we do....well....don't get done. In the past, that would have really depressed me and fed into my "I am a failure" mentality....I did feel it creeping up on me, but I decided to take the opportunity to just rest in the Lord, and draw from His strength and peace, and remembered that, this too shall pass, and I may have a little more work than normal when I come out of this, but it will get done...this housework and cooking (spaghetti for kids tonight, not cereal). I hate this struggle I get into of having to remind myself all the time that it's not about me...even when I am sick, it's not about me.

Breathing: when I can finally let go of all that binds me like a girdle and hinders my ability to breathe....when I can give it to Jesus, and he loosens those bindings and I take my first deep breath....breathing is wonderful....freeing.....breathing is life. Help me Lord to not bind myself up anymore, but to live in the freedom that IS YOU!!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Pledgarism

Ok, I was reminded of a song that has been dear to my heart since I heard it...maybe it will minister to someone else as well:

If You Want Me To

by: Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken

And the signs are unclear

And I don't know the reason why You brought me here

But just because You love me the way that You do

I'm gonna walk through the valley

If You want me to

Cause I'm not who I was

When I took my first step

And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet

So if all of these trials bring me closer to You

Then I will go through the fire

If you want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen

When You lead me through a world that's not my home

But You never said it would be easy

You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me

And I'm all by myself

And I can't hear You answer my cries for help

I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through

and I will go through the valley

If You want me to.

Written by KYLE MATTHEWS, GINNY OWENS

UNIVERSAL MUSIC MGB SONGS

This is my heart....and I know it is the heart of many....but sometimes we need to remind ourselves that this is truly how we feel...instead of letting the enemy or ourselves get rooted in there and try to make us believe things about ourselves and our walk, that really are untrue. Again, I hope this song ministers to someone.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Renewing Our Minds

We had a great bible study last night. We are studying (via a video series by Chip Ingram) Romans 12...and last night was about the renewing of the mind. We were asked what the most effective means of renewing our minds were in our own personal lives, and also challenged to be in the bible at least 15 minutes a day this week. Of course, the most renewal of my mind occurs when I read His word...but we all challenged ourselves to think beyond that....we can't be reading every minute of every day, although, frequently throughout the day, we need a renewing of the mind...so how do we do it...each answer being a personal answer. Many interesting responses from the group...it was quite enjoyable. For ME, I get up in the morning and walk, and I have an iPod, so I can listen to preaching every morning on my walk....I also, during the day, like to listen to some sort of praise and worship music, some sort of christian music...but most of all....I look like the crazy lady because I find my self in constant communication with God. I am ALWAYS talking to Him, frequently out loud. I KNOW, for me, being in constant communication with my Lord, keeps my mind from thinking things I should not be thinking, desiring things, I should not be desiring and putting into action things I should not be putting into action. Don't get me wrong...I make STUPID choices, say stupid things...etc...we do have a battle....but God knows that or He would not call it REnewing of the mind...so, I take those thoughts captive into the obedience of Christ...and renew my mind with Him.

How would you describe your most effective mode of renewal of your mind?

Have a wonderfully blessed day!!

Redwood Creek Part 2

What a busy week we have had...we did finally make it up to Redwood Creek this weekend...almost all of us. Tom was working, so it was just Erik and I and the little ones...the previous pictures I posted were from a year or so ago and over the winter, the weather ruined our canopy that was on our deck, so here is another picture with what we did this weekend. Of course, it looks better when you are actually there. We opted for a screened tent so we can easily take it down at the end of the summer and not have to worry about the weather.
We had a nice time getting a couple of things done, there is still a little bit to get done, but it won't take long. We have decided (THANK THE LORD) to not do a whole lot this year...we would like to just actually enjoy it instead of working it the whole summer.

Anyway, just thought maybe you would like to see the update on the property. Can't wait to enjoy it as a family....and can't wait to enjoy it with friends....hint hint!!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!!

Redwood Creek

Today is the first day of a new week....one that should prove interesting...why interesting....I would have to ask if you have met my husband....he is interesting indeed!! I love him with every fiber of my being, and he certainly makes this life we live a roller coaster ride, with very few stops. The sun is out...which means he pretty much has one thing on his mind....REDWOOD CREEK!

Redwood Creek is a wonderful place that is owned by the Jackson Family, and it's big enough that we all can stake out our little piece of land and do what we want with it. It's right on a creek with a great swimming hole, sitting near the bottom of a beautiful valley.

My family and some friends have worked very hard to make our little section what it is now. It's beautiful, we are blessed. All that being said....my dear, wonderful husband gets slightly obsessed at this time of the year and most of our talk is Redwood Creek talk....it is currently 9:30 in the morning and he should have left for work an hour and a half ago....but instead got caught up in Redwood Creek talk. In the past, and creeping into the present, is the sheer frustration I get when all he wants to talk about is Redwood Creek...I don't know why, but it just irks me. As I start the feel the fingers of that frustration creep up on me this morning, I also felt the Lord "creep" up on me too and remind me of a couple of things: 1) I really do love Redwood Creek and feel incredibly blessed to have access to it. and 2) He is my husband and I need to honor him, and sometimes honoring him means listening with great intent to his million and one plans for our little slice of land down there, and then listen to him change his mind a million and one more times, and know that in the end it will all work itself out...I just need to be patient. Honoring my husband is the most important thing to me in all of this...we may not see eye to eye, we may have totally different idea's on what to do, but honoring him means letting him know my idea's and conceding to what comes out in the end.

Tawny asked in her blog if we ever annoy ourselves....and I will give a hearty YES to that....I annoy myself when I fall into wanting things MY way, and forgetting that this life is not all about me, that I have a Lord to live for, a husband to honor and respect and love, and children to adore and raise to HIS glory...I do fit into all of it, because when I live for all of the above...I AM living for me, just not ABOUT me!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!!

Thankful

I love going to Medford and seeing my friends. I always miss them terribly when it's time to come home...but I am so blessed to be able to go and visit them. We brought back Tom's truck...so he is in hog heaven right now!! And now it's official....Tom is a under contract and is a future soldier of the United States Army! I am so proud of him...and still going through this time of disbelief that he is growing into a man. He is only 17, so he does not ship out to boot camp for a little over a year, but there is much for him to do in the mean time...and he is ready for it. What a busy weekend it turned out to be.....tooo short of a visit to Medford, and a son joining the army....almost makes my head spin. I am so thankful at how good God is to me, and my family. He always takes care of us, no matter what the circumstances may seem....He ALWAYS comes through....Thank You Jesus!!
Well, I must get going on my daily lineup....have a wonderfully blessed day!