Where We Live

My heart is filled with gratitude on days like today. What a beautiful place God has allowed us to live in. The sun was shining and there was a nice warm breeze, so Larry and I decided to take the kids for a walk down to the trail in Pacific Grove. The weather was picture perfect. As we walked I was thanking the Lord for my family. Sometimes life can seem so overwhelming and sometimes just straight up out of control. It's days like these that make me stop and really think about what's important to me. Who's important to me.

I am blessed to be the mommy of three beautiful children. I love being the wife of a wonderful, caring man. I am completely surrounded by family and friends who love me and who do just about anything for me. I live in one of the most beautiful places in all the world. I am truly blessed.So I thank you, Lord, for bestowing these blessings upon my life. I am not worthy; definitely not deserving. But because You love me, because of Your unmerited favor, You give. So from the bottom of my heart I say "Thank You."

It's In God's Hands Now

It is amazing to me to think about how powerful our God is. All of us have goals that we would like to see accomplished. We just rang in the New Year. It's 2011 and most, if not all, of our New Years Resolutions have already been broken - or "the new rules" we set up for ourselves have already been bent. For some people their goal may be losing weight, becoming debt free, getting more organized, to stop smoking, becoming more responsible, to be more patient, to be a better listener, a better parent and the list could go on and on. If you're like me, you start out trying to do your very best—standing so strong—but all too soon you find yourself disappointed and just giving up all together. But! I've recently discovered that when we place our dreams, our plans, and our goals into the hands of God? The Master takes over and we become His Students, ready and willing to obey HIS command. Becoming His student means admitting we don't know what He knows and believing He is wiser and fully capable of helping us. God's desire is for us to delight ourselves in Him so He could give us the desires of our hearts. We will be astounded at what HE could accomplish in us - and through us.

I've been struggling in one area of my life for YEARS! I mean Yeee-ears. My goal seemed so insignificant when compared to the struggles and hardships others around me are facing. But, nevertheless, it was important to me, thus important to God. A few days ago, I finally made the decision to put this struggle in God's hands and let Him help me and stop trying to do it on my own. It's only been a few days but what God has done in just a few days I could have, in no way, accomplished in even a month! Not only am I achieving my goal, but it is not even a struggle. I am experiencing a little discomfort, but God is doing something unbelievable in me. I can't explain it, but I can say that I've put my faith in Him. I'm admitting that I can't do it without Him and shouting that I need Him. He's honoring that. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord!

God's Even In the Little Stuff

Gracie LOVES her Elmo shoes! Our little girl is growing so fast that we try to hang on to every pair of shoes as long as we can. Her poor Dora shoes had to go bye-bye because I couldn't shove her feet in them one more day. I bought these Elmo shoes about a year ago. The inside says they are a size 5 but I'm thinkin' their a 6 because they still fit her well. Yes, they fit her precious, beautifully big feet :) Anyhow, last night Grace wore her Elmo shoes to church. Unfortunatley, she only came home with one shoe on. We thought, "oh, well...there goes another pair of shoes." So, this morning we get in car, we jump on the freeway, I get her to her daycare, I then proceed to Safeway (to order her birthday cake, YAY) and when I walk back to the car I look up and I see a little orange shoe on my back bumper. There sat Elmo!


The people who were passing by me in the Safeway parking lot must have thought I was a nut-case. I was laughing so hard I almost...well, you get the picture. I was so amazed that that shoe hung on to my bumper through the drive home from church last night, on the freeway on the way to work this morning (and I wasn't going the speed limit!) and into the parking lot. When I got into the car, God reminded that He has everything under control. That little shoe, that is loved so very much, stayed outside in the cold, all night on that bumper. It survived the speeding winds on the freeway, the bumps and turns we made on the road, it was all alone. Sometimes I feel like that Elmo shoe. I feel alone, in the dark and coldness of night. I know I'm loved and wanted, so I don't understand how I could be going through what I'm going through. But God reminded me that He has me in His hands. Always. What He wants accomplished, will be done. Even when it seems like there's no way we're gonna make it, God keeps His hand in our lives and helps us to make it through the trials, through the afflictions, through the storms. Now everytime I see that Elmo shoe I've got a reminder that God loves me and He cares about me and He's with me. He does care about the little things in our lives. Yep, I hanging on to those shoes. What a great and powerful God we serve!

2011

Welcome 2011...I'm so glad you're here!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!