Walking in the Shadows

As we continue our countdown to Christmas, I can't help but reflect on this year and the blessings that came with it. 2012 was a year of change for me (perhaps I'll write about that soon) but it has also been a year full of blessings.   I hope you enjoy my picture tour of the blessings of 2012! 1. Protection! My sweet Ethan nearly lost his eye in January. 2. Spending Valentine's Day at the Biltmore House with my loves (I know it's a funny picture with Jason holding the stroller lol). 3. The boys getting their first turkey in April!! This was an answer to prayer for all three of them. 4. My FIRST ever garden!! 5. Family Vacation in May thanks to a dear friend.   6. Bittersweet Goodbye to my Cliffs' Family. 7. Seeing Chipper Jones play one last time in Atlanta with my Daddy.       8. Sweet Tyson. He has grown so much this year!   9. Priceless lessons learned from a dear Missionary. 10. A house full of...

This thought has been bouncing around in my head for several weeks now, I even attempted to teach it to a group of ladies at church. Resting in the peace of God! Is it really as simple as the Bible says? How do I find it? How do I keep it once I find it? What if I lose it? I'm sure we all have a dozen or more questions on the topic of peace.   I am writing today, resting in the peace that just yesterday was so far from my grasp. Sometimes, we are called to walk through dark valleys, sometimes the hard times seem to pop up out of nowhere, and sometimes we put ourselves in the middle of bad situations that could have been avoided. Today, I am reflecting on a peace that I taught about on Sunday, seemed to lose on Monday and am resting wonderfully in today.        Isaiah 26:3      "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."   That one verse, as simple as it soun...

Ha, with a title like that I bet you wonder what in the world I am going to write! Ah, now that we are stuffed from all the turkey and dressing, many of us will wake up at the crack of dawn (or earlier) to participate in what is called Black Friday! Have you ever thought, "What is all the hype with Black Friday?" or "I would never get up at 4am for any kind of sale" or "I LOVE LOVE Black Friday, it is even better than Thanksgiving." Well, whatever your position, I am going to write a little bit about what Black Friday means to me. As I was reflecting on past holidays and past Black Friday shopping trips, I realized that the reason I love getting up with sleepy eyes to shop, is not really about the sales at all! I remember many years ago, standing in a very long line (in the cold) at Sears just in hopes of getting a $10 gift card, I didn't even get the gift card but you know what I remember more than the cold? Chatting with my Mom and Grandmothe...

I thought it only appropriate to have a Thankful Thursday on Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for, I love this time of year when we pause and really think of our blessings. So, here is my list, it is a very condensed version but these are the things I am especially thankful for this week! Answered Prayer My Brother My Sister in Law Obedience Family White Lights Blonde Hair Front Loading Washing Machine Mom's Thanksgiving Ham New Traditions Grace Undeserved Forever Friends who Care 3.9% Interest Rate The Bible The Holy Spirit My Life Change (ach, this is a tough one) Here's to hoping you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

In Sunday School we (the ladies class) are studying the book of II Timothy together. As I studied for this week’s lesson, the Lord seemed to drive home this thought to me “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Things in our world have been a little challenging the last few weeks, you know how it is, when the dishwasher breaks so does the washing machine. The Lord has been using these “little” things to teach me how to endure hard times as a good soldier. I don’t know if you have realized it yet, but we are in a battle. The devil is trying his best to creep in and attack while we are busy cooking dinner and helping the kids with homework. You know what I mean? Life is SO busy; I think it is busy for most everyone. I mean, we homeschool our kids and don’t have any extracurricular activities and yet we are still SO busy! I imagine that is why Paul wrote this verse next:                 ...

Today, we are going to have a treat, literally! :-) I am going to share a recipe for yummy Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Balls. It is healthy and delish! I am trying so hard to choose healthier options for my family and with a tight budget it is very difficult, but little by little I am learning to make better, healthier choices for us all. One thing I am seeing clearly is that you PAY for convenience! I know you are thinking, duh, I already knew that, but when you really start looking at what is in your grocery cart, you will see what I mean. The more the manufacturer has to do to get the product to you, the more you pay. If you go out and buy all organic food you will be spending a TON (believe me I have price checked). But, you can start buying the items you need to prepare your food from scratch and it will surprise you the cost comparison. Don't misunderstand, there are many items that I would LOVE to purchase organic or whole, but there is simply not enough money for me to do t...

I haven't blogged in like FOREVER, I have so missed the writing!! So, today will be a quickie, with just a highlight of our week away with each other. This trip was purchased two years ago! Amazing isn't it? The Lord knew we wouldn't have been able to take the trip otherwise. We are not huge Myrtle Beach fans but if you go after Labor Day it really is quite pleasant. I will say this though, Jason and I decided after this trip that we are NOT fans of the sand, we are looking at a trip to Amish Country for next year. :-) This is Addison's favorite part, the sand, she did NOT like the ocean AT ALL. She wouldn't even let it touch her, if we brought her close to the water she would scream "I done, I done." So, suffice it to say that she is in favor of the Amish Trip next year. This is my sweet husband enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather. It was perfect in the mid 80's. I believe this picture was taken on September 11, it was neat at the...

Today is mine and dear hubby's 13th wedding anniversary! Wow! 13 years is a teenager, right? I can hardly believe I have been married to my Jason for 13 years. I promise not to be too sappy today, but I really wanted to write a little about the wonderful blessing of marriage. Marriage is taken so casually in these days that I fear young couples will not realize the magnitute of making and breaking their vow to God when they say "I do." I am not here to post my opinion on the union of marriage nor paint a flowery picture that is unrealistic. Marriage is tough, some times really tough. But, marriage is also an absolute gift from God and a blessing that words can never describe. As I look back over the last 13 years, I can see how we have grown and changed together. Together is really the key, and you know the only way to really grow together? It is to grow in the Lord together! The closer we are to Him the closer we are to one another. That may sound cliche but I ca...

  So, I have hesitated writing because this week has been a real test of faith. It is a test that does not seem to be over nor have I received the coveted A+. Yesterday it seemed the Lord reminded me the purpose of my blog and I felt the need to write even though my current test of faith is ongoing. Lately, I (we) have been in a holding pattern in almost all aspects of day to day life. The ministry, physically in our home, financially, emotionally, and I could go on. A holding pattern is simply defined as: “The flight path maintained by an aircraft awaiting permission to land.” Have you ever felt that way in life? You are flying along and just when you think you may be achieving your goals or finding the Lord’s will you are put in a holding position. Think about the above definition and how it could relate to your own life, with the exception of awaiting permission to take off instead of land. This week has been testy for me, I am not sure I will go through a list of ...

With school about to start for us I have been thinking about our summer and the fun we have had just being together. So, today is going to be a Thankful Thursday... 1. Afternoon Thunderstorms 2. New Recipes 3. Parents (so thankful mine are ALWAYS there) 4. Sunday Family Dinners 5. Having a 10 year old Man! (Yes he is growing up) 6. Fridays with my Momma 7. The Bible 8. A Husband who plays 9. Grace 10. True Worship 11. Toddler Messes 12. Homemade Bread 13. Bargains!! (spent $115 for this not counting meat and cold items at Bargain Food Store. And I got a TON of Organic items) 14. Marriage (13 years the 28th) 15. Joy 16. River Fun 17. Peace 18. God's Will 19. Forever Friends 20. God's Provision What are you thankful for today?

This thought has been on my heart all week, faith without fear. How many times have you stepped out on faith and noticed the trembling inside as you shook with fear? Isn’t it a scary thing to obey the Lord and take that step of faith? Not knowing where God is sending you, how He is going to provide for you, if you are going to get that job offer, if He is going to heal you, if your loved one is going to accept Christ, what to do next… Couldn’t you just tremble with fear NOT knowing??                 Hebrews 11:23 “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” I was reading Hebrews this week and when I read this verse, a light seemed to come on. I had never thought about faith that way, faith without the fear. As you know, this blog is all about my journey in faith but I wo...

A week ago today, my youngest son made the most important decision of his young life. He gave his heart and life to Jesus! As a parent, there is no greater joy than to see your child come to Jesus. I know there are some who don’t believe as I do, but I implore you not to stop reading this post. Please just read my account and allow my words to sink into your heart. Friday we decided to go to a campmeeting in NC for its final night to hear an aged man of God preach. I am going to be honest here and confess that I was really tired and considered staying home (thank God I did not). We arrived at the campground and immediately saw our former pastor (where we call our home church), I was so excited as I had not seen him in a quite a while and it was a treat to see him and his dear wife. As it turns out the tent was quite full and we had to sit separate, Jason sat in front of me and the kids with our home pastor and his wife. Throughout the service I recall looking over at Chan...

Last weekend, Jason and I had the privilege to go and work with a missionary who is beginning a church plant in the states. He has been a missionary for many years and has planted five churches in five countries throughout his ministry. I made a late decision in the week to travel with Jason so I really began the trip by scurrying around to make sure I had all I needed packed. We took Miss Addison with us and if you have a little one you know there are always a million things you can’t forget! As we start our journey very early Saturday morning I ask (for at least the fifth time) where we are to meet the missionary. My husband replies (for at the least the fifth time) “I don’t know honey, he said he would tell us when we get closer.” I smile and try not to stress, as I am planner and when a trip is involved I have it ALL planned weeks before! True to his word, about 30 minutes before our arrival we get a phone call with directions on where to meet. Now, we are heading his way and af...

The last few weeks have been full of surprises for me and not all of them pleasant! So today, I decided it was time to just be thankful. There is a great blog I read (Sacred Mundane) where every Friday, she ends her week with what she is thankful for. It has been an encouragement to me these last few weeks, I am learning that whether you are in physical pain, plagued with sickness, experiencing financial turmoil, emotional pain, spiritual warfare or any other trial, the quickest way to put a smile on your face is to be thankful. So today, we are going to have a Thankful Thursday.   1. Salvation 2. Air conditioning (repaired this week) 3. Days without pain 4. Green Tomatoes 5. Fireworks 6. Freedom to disagree 7. Kool-aid ice pops 8. Reading with my kiddos 9. My Man 10. Prayer 11. Answered Prayer 12. “I Love You” from my boys 13. My little girl’s excitement when Daddy comes home 14. Being Needed 15. Being Loved 16. Peace 17...

Okay, so today is going to be a smorgasbord of tricks I have learned the last couple of months. First and maybe the easiest (but something I would have NEVER tried before) is roasting a whole chicken and making your own chicken stock. I have tried it a couple of ways and believe me when I say, you really can’t mess it up! For the chicken, I just cut slits in the chicken and use whatever seasoning or herbs I have around the house. This last time I used garlic and herb seasoning and it really turned out well. I drizzle it with olive oil and cook it at 350 for 20 minutes per pound (180 degrees when completely cooked). After it cools, I tear it apart (literally) and put the meat in ziplock baggies and freeze. Such an easy and relatively inexpensive way to add chicken to most anything (enchiladas, quesadillas, chicken casserole, potatoes, anything). This is a great trick for busy Moms as you can roast a chicken on the weekend and have already cooked chicken to pull out of the fr...

This year we are growing a garden for the first time! What an adventure! I am learning a lot and finding there is still much to learn. I have made a few mistakes and will surely make more (my most comical was probably planting the WHOLE potato instead of just the eye). Each day I go outside to see if anything new has grown and once the flowers started on the plants I was like a kid in a toy store, just so excited. Now, the fruit is starting to grow and I am beside myself with excitement. I can NOT wait to taste my very first organic, home grown tomato! There have also been quite a few life lessons while tending my garden, it is truly a blessing how the Lord speaks to us through his creation. · How in the world can something so fresh and tasty come from a little seed? · Who knew the dirt mattered? Oh but the foundation is ever so important. ·   And one of the greatest lessons for me has been patience. I planted my little seeds several months ago and still h...

As you all know, I am now a full-time homemaker and with that comes the tightening of the budget strings. The Lord has always provided for us and I do not doubt that he will continue to do so, but he has also given me the strength and ability to work hard and save money whenever possible. So, I have decided that periodically I will do a Thrifty Thursday blog and blog about some ways I have found to save money. Today I am going to give you a little run down on how to make your own Liquid Hand Soap. We go through a ton of hand soap with three little ones and so much dirt. J It is super EASY and you should have all you need on hand. Here’s what you will need: 1. Bar Soap (I used Dove soap a friend gave me that smelled wonderful) 2. Cheese Grater (only you won’t be grating cheese, you will be grating soap) 3. Water 4. Cooking Pot and Stove Take your bar soap (approx. four ounces) and grate it with a chees...

I don’t know how many of you have kids who watch Veggie Tales but when my boys were younger they LOVED it. Anyway, there is this song on an episode that says “keep walking” it is referring to Joshua walking around the walls of Jericho (it’s a super cute song ). That phrase has been on my mind for a week now; faith is a journey and you can’t continue on a journey without walking. This week was my first full week at home with no outside obligations and I must say it has been a blessed week. We have baked bread, baked cookies, played with new friends, attempted to use the big girl potty, cleaned out kitchen cabinets, cleaned out bookshelves and focused on keeping on overall tidy house! Nothing earth shattering I know, but this week the Lord has been teaching me to “keep walking” even though I do not know where the journey is taking me. Some of you may be taking one step at a time by faith, not really knowing where all the steps are leading. That is kind of where I am right now ...

(The above picture was taken in Gatlinburg TN) As I walked across the dark parking lot one last time, I couldn’t believe my job was over. Five years of my life is now behind me. But, as I got into my van and drove away there was such a feeling of freedom, the sadness was pushed to the back of my mind and I felt at peace. So, I know what you are thinking, WHY did you leave your job, what happened, etc? We (my hubby and myself) took a leap of faith and did what we felt God wanted us to do. I am sure some will think us crazy, others will wonder why it took us five years to make this decision. I do not have an answer to that, other than to say, we did it when God wanted us to. Our ways are not His ways and we are learning to trust Him as we go. Now that you know where we are in our little journey in faith, let me tell you what God has done for us in the last 2 ½ weeks since I put my two week notice in at work. The very day I planned on putting my notice in, I was all kind of ne...

Okay, so this is it, my first blog post! I am excited, but just because I love to write, doesn’t really mean anyone will want to read what I write. I know, I know, but really, why does anyone start a blog?   Anywho, I have been thinking about blogging for what feels like forever and decided now was the right time to jump in! The Lord has been doing some important things in my life these days and my main purpose for this blog is to make a record of what He is doing. I am sure from time to time I will share a recipe or a thrifty idea I have found but more than that I hope to show anyone who cares to read that God is real and loves to work in the lives of His children. We are headed for some changes in our family and I am really excited to see how the Lord is going to provide and take care of us. I will write more about this in my next post, but let’s just suffice it to say, I serve a very BIG God and am so blessed to be HIS! Hebrews 11:1 "Now FAITH is the substance OF t...