I've been cheating myself

In 30 years of living, I never cultivated the habit of reading.
I certainly have never really read by choice. I always did my studying. And I have read the Bible from cover to cover because that's what good Christian girls do, but I have never chosen to read for the sheer and intensive therapy that I see it becoming in my life.
In the past two months, I have made some pretty big commitments to myself, one of them being reading regularly and intentionally.
At first, I read because I convinced myself that I needed to pick up a hobby and reading is just about the most practical leisure-time activity a person can have. But now,

I love reading! I have been devouring papyrus!
It's weird - because you don't spend 30 years avoiding something like the plague and one day up and decide to make a lifestyle change. But I have. And I have done it so consistently that I feel comfortable blogging about it, so that's something...

The book I have been reading is amazing and eye-opening, thought-provoking and popping with unreal life and energy. It's called the Bible. Ha!

(I have also been reading supplemental books that are terrific in their own right.)

But seriously, if you have never made the commitment to yourself to really delve into God's Word and become studious about it, you should.

It will change your life!

Blessed are the Peacemakers...

...for they shall live in an eternal mess that they made while trying to make peace.

Am I alone?

And no, you won't find that anywhere in Scripture.

:)

I'm a Dummy!

yes, yes i am.

and no this is not me being self-deprecating.

my hubby actually uses me as a dummy

he's applied tourniquets, given CPR, taken my blood pressure, put me on a long board, immobilized fake broken limbs, etc.

rest assured that if you have an emergency and you see my husband walk through your front door, he is well prepared for the task ahead

i am so proud to be his dummy!

things that stir my heart

• watching my husband play legos with our son
• eyelash kisses with my little girl
• cooking a very healthy dinner and inviting family over to enjoy it with us
• having a very faithful 'helper' while I cook, who loves to wear her 'fun-size' apron and taste samples of everything
• reading in a quiet moment
• the way Bonnie's whole butt wags when she sees us
• thinking about how awesome VBS is going to be and that I get to be a part of seeing lives change
• buying tiny little newborn size clothes
• getting an out-of-the-blue phone call from a friend
• sneaking back into my kids' rooms to watch them sleep - it's just about the only time they look like babies anymore
• picking a whole field's worth of wild flowers with my kids
• giving
• reconnecting with people who mean a lot to me
• humbly delivering a long overdue apology
• learning more each day how to be the person God made me to be

Smiles all around

I am so out of the habit of updating - to the point that I'm awkward in doing so.

However, it's been too long and too many terrific and wonderful, worthy of posting about things have happened.

First and freshest on the list is last night, April 12, 2010. While Avery and I were doing our nighttime snuggle, she started asking questions about heaven. She's now nearly 5 1/2 and I began to try and answer as best I could her questions. Without expectation on my part, she asked if she could pray and ask Jesus to live inside her heart.

And we did.

How precious! I have now had the singular pleasure in life to pray that prayer with both of my children. Knowing fully that each in their own way has absolute assurance of their place in God's heart.

There are moments in motherhood that you can really only dream about and pray for - this was one of those once-in-a-lifetime kinds of moments.

It's hard to follow that, but in other news...

Jaron is competing today in his first ever TRIYS competition. He is so nervous! He kept telling me that his tummy was weird. Butterflies! :) No, it's not funny - and he'll probably remember today as one of the scariest days in his young life but still I can't help but grin when I reflect on his nervousness and grown-upness this morning as I sent him out the door.

I hope he's proud of all he's accomplished in first grade - I sure am proud of him!

Also, I am coming off of a very busy Easter and Lenten Season. So I took yesterday and today off, just to be me and to play catch up. It's been amazing!

I wish I had the perspective seven years ago that I have now, to appreciate each day as a stay-at-home mom. What an amazing gift it was! I did enjoy it, but not as greedily as I do now. I'll just soak as much of it in as I can for these two days.

When I get back to work it's time to hit the trails hard and prepare for one hot crazy summer! VBS, Camps, Mission work, and all that comes with it!

Chris is doing really well with the fire department. He seems to have found in this profession a perfect fit. Everyone should be so content and feel as fortunate as him.

Chris and I see that change is on the horizon for us and our approach to this change is tentative - hoping, no praying, that we have heard God's voice and not imposed our wills into the decisions we are now facing.

It's difficult to imagine having any further upset in our delicately balanced world, but it's no small urging that I have been feeling lately. So yesterday, I took the first steps toward getting into graduate school.

There are some very real changes that this life course would dictate, so we're weighing that and all that it brings very carefully right now. Prayers are appreciated.

Guess that just about brings us all up to speed.