Family Update

  Our family has been doing EXTREMELY well! My children are happy and healthy toddlers that love each other and the Lord. On the 22nd we had a birthday party for Stephie at a local bowling alley (the children used the duck pin balls and lanes). A couple families from our church as well as my own family joined us in celebrating Stephie's official entrance into toddler hood. : ) It was a fun time and there was nothing bitter sweet about it (you'll have to read my previous posts)! We bowled, the girls decorated princess mirrors, ate pizza, and enjoyed sharing fellowship while celebrating our Stephie Belle! After Stephie's birthday party, we all went to one of the children that attended Stephie's b-day celebration birthday party. The little boy and Stephie share the same birthday 5/23, and both had their parties on the 22nd. On the 23rd we went to a "U Pick Flowers" place and let Stephie pick out her own bouquet of flowers which is currently filling the house with beautiful fragrance. We had so much fun on Saturday and Sunday! Mark and I even had a little bowling match against my brother and his fiancé. Of course, Mark and I won! : ) But, the funny thing is that Matthew (my brother) and I had tie scores, 91. Lol. There is nothing better than celebrating with those you care about!
  Rene is doing VERY well with her school work! She is currently doing addition (may I remind you that she is only 3 years old!!!). She is counting up to fifteen, and can identify most shapes, and basically every color! I am so grateful to God for giving Mark and I such a beautiful, brilliant little girl! ... Stephie has entered the world of terrific twos. She is so funny. One minute she's mischievous and as silly as silly can be, and the next she's a perfect, sweet little princess. Stephie loves life, and is full of it!... Mark and I have been walking hand in hand towards the Lord, and have put a lot of time and love into our children as well as our relationship with each other and the Lord. There are many big changes in our future, that we are excitingly looking forward to. Two of the biggest blessings the Lord has bestowed upon Mark and I in the past couple of months are peace, and contentment... We've enjoyed doing many things as a family including going to the beach, and hanging out by the water while feeding the ducks. The simple pleasures in our lives have been the greatest, and we look forward to them each and every day.
(Note:  If you are new to my blog, but know me and my family you may be confused about the children's names.  I do not use my children's actual names in my posts for safety reasons.)

John 14:27
Mark 12:31

Cross Roads

 

  The Lord has placed my family at a cross road. We can either give him our ALL, or not. Some people may look at our family, and sacrifices we've made for the Lord, and to keep our hearts and minds pure and think "What else can you give Him?" A lot of people look at our disapproval of cable television as "odd", or "strange", and think that we are down right "weirdos." However, we know in our hearts that our decision is right. We also know in our hearts that having the Lord as a constant topic of conversation is right, as is listening primarily to Christian music... Up until recently I've thought that I have given the Lord my all by doing all of those things for Him. However, due to current convictions I see that I was wrong. And, as I've said my family is at a cross road. We can either say "We've given the Lord enough", or we can take another leap and get "stranger" to most of society. I'm sure no one knows what I'm talking about at the moment, and this most likely sounds like I'm speaking gibberish. So, I will let out a little piece of my heart and let you in on my current convictions. First, I see error in the ways I've clothed myself and my children in the past. Secondly, my husband has experienced convictions about working on Sundays. Therefore, in the near future he will drop his Sunday pay in order to serve the Lord. Third, the Lord has put it in Mark and my heart to have more children way sooner than we thought we would. Fourth, I've started discipline and reward charts in my kitchen for not only my children, but also for Mark and myself (We give each other stars, hearts, and crosses according to how we've behaved and followed the Lord). Fifth, I believe that I am suppose to listen to my husband now more than ever before. Sixth, I see error in some of the books I've read from a Christian author, and movies I've seen (nothing bad from a worldly stand point, but absolutely horrible from where I now stand). The Lord wants me and my family to honor Him with not only our sacrifices but our lives, our entire heart, our ears, and our eyes. We are to not join in worldly activities that do not include Him, and we are to incorporate Him in everything we do every minute of every day. I know this, and it's my honor to serve Him in these ways... But, at the same time it's scary to think of how much of an "outcast" that could make us to the rest of the world. One of my prayers have been for the Lord to send a like minded family our way. It would be so nice to know a Christian family that has gone through similar convictions and that disapproves of a lot of the same, or similar, worldly activities that we do ...


I pray for the Lord to give my husband and I guidance as we raise our children so that they will grow into loving adults that will serve the Lord. I pray that the Lord will have patience with me as I learn to further obey my husband. I pray that my family will be able to touch the hearts of people regardless if they think us to be "strange" or not. I also pray that the Lord will forgive me as I stagger at this cross roads. I know I will follow the path the Lord has chosen for me. It's just taking me a little while to get there... However, one small step at a time my family will go down a new path, and everyone around us will see big changes. So, lastly I pray that you will not think ill of us for following this path, and know that we are simply doing what the Lord has asked of us. We love you all very much! And, we hope that you too will listen to your personal convictions and do whatever the Lord asks of you.
 
God Bless!

Proverbs 3:5
John 14:27
Luke 14:25-35

Precious Moments

Wow... It's hard to believe that I have not signed onto my blog in over two months! I've been so engrossed in each and every one of my children’s' precious moments that I hardly get online anymore. In fact the only reasons I've been online in the past two months have been for my children. I have logged on numerous times for Stephie's up coming birthday party. She will be two years old, and the thought of her turning two is very bitter sweet.. I am very into birthdays! To me a birthday is way more than a celebration of another year passing. A birthday is a celebration of the life that God has given, and of all the mile stones achieved that year. My children's birthdays are always joyful, yet a bit sad for me. While I'm thrilled with their lives, their achievements, and beautiful hearts, I'm also sad that they are no longer my little babies waddling around the house while babbling. Of course this sadness always fades. God has blessed Mark and I with the most joyous gifts, our children. And, I know in my heart that God will bless us with more little ones. So, as my beautiful daughters grow and flourish there is peace in knowing that I have not nursed my last baby... Aren't children such a blessing? I could not imagine my life without my little ones! The girls and I spent Sunday afternoon together at a local park by the water. It was so beautiful and peaceful. The girls talked about their "mermaid sightings" as I enjoyed the cool breezes coming up from the water. I am always amazed by my children's imagination, and creativity. The other day we painted animal shaped ceramic magnets. Stephie and Rene's magnets were SO beautiful! In fact both of their magnets looked better than mine! ... Anyway, so I've just been enjoying life too much to be online. However, this blog still is important to me. I feel that it is very important to tell our personal testimonies. Therefore, I will continue to occasionally write a post. In fact, after my children's nap I will write another post.

I hope that you will take the time out to sit back, relax, and enjoy all the blessings around you. Perhaps you do not have children, but have friends, or family... Take some time out and enjoy the loved ones around you. We can not stop the clock from ticking, and with each passing second not spent with a loved one, we loose out on a precious moment.

God Bless and may you have millions of precious moments!

Pslam 118:24
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
Pslam 127:3