Reach Out

The other day I was feeling it all. Overwhelmed that Christmas is quickly barreling down and I have so much to do. So sick of sickness raging through the house. Frustrated that Andrew still doesn’t have a job. Yet, upset that he’s been working with a friend and not home all day anymore. And just feeling sad.

You know what, it’s ok to have those days.

As I got out of depression years ago, I remember being afraid of days like that. I’d worry I was slipping back into it and would have to climb that steep, rocky slope back out all over again. Thankfully it’s never gripped me again like that and I pray it never again does.

I learned a lot of good coping techniques during that time and they have become habit when I do have a bad day, but this week, for some reason, it just wasn’t working.

But God.

I don’t know how many times I’ve whispered those words in my life. If it weren’t for Him I don’t know where I’d be.

And that day, He reminded me how much he loves me. You know how He did it? Through sweet friends who listen to the Lord when he speaks to them! I hope you all have friends like that. They are precious.

I had 4 very timely texts that day. Friends texted saying “I was thinking about you today and just wanted to see how you are.” One was from a friend, hundreds of miles away who didn’t even know the kids had been sick. But God prompted her to reach out.

Another typed out her prayer for me so I could see how she lifted me up to our loving Father.

That evening a friend came with a gift for me. I wish I would have taken a photo of it! It was so beautifully wrapped and huge. It reminded me of those life size dolls girls always want.

She bought me a vacuum! Like an amazing stick vacuum! I hadn’t even known these existed until we were talking about them one day. Yes, homeschool mamas talk about vacuums and they are exhilarating conversations, ok?!

First it was an amazing gift. Second, she didn’t know what kind of a day I’d had emotionally. She said, “I was praying for you and God told me to buy you this.” She said she had often not believed when someone would say they heard from God to buy something for someone else, but she knew, clearly, that God wanted her to do it. And she obeyed.

Just like the friends who were asked by God to reach out and to pray for me. They listened and obeyed.

How often do we slow down enough to listen and obey our good good God? How many more times could we bless others if we just slowed and asked and waited for Him to tell us?

I was awed and humbled that day. Often in this trial, I’ve asked the Lord “are you there?, do you even hear me? Are you listening? Will you answer?” He is truly there and does listen. As he says in Isaiah 60:22, “I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it.” I have to keep trusting He knows exactly when He will resolve all the things. And He keeps reminding me that He is working in the waiting.

Not only did I go to bed that night light in Spirit and heart, but with a lesson deeply impressed upon me. When someone is laid on your heart, reach out. If God tells you to do something, do it, even if it seems weird. You never know how you might change the trajectory of another person’s day.

Merry Christmas! May you be blessed and bless others!

Cold Weather Projects

Cold weather has set in here in good ole Minnesota. And usually once it’s here, it stays awhile. We never see spring when we want to, just whenever Minnesota feels like thawing. Not only is it cold, it’s dark. Like dark a lot. At about 4pm it feels like we should have a late dinner and call it a night. And then you look at the clock and realize there’s a whole lot more day left.

I used to despise this time of year. It gave me depression and I always felt a complete lack of energy. But I’m learning it’s a time for slowing down. It’s ok to go to bed early like the sun does. It’s ok to pull out the crafts and good movies. It’s perfectly acceptable to slow everything down. And, honestly, it’s good for us.

Lately I’ve been organizing drawers, cupboards,and closets.

These cabinets were driving me nuts. The bags just never stand up and they were always getting rearranged.

I went down the Aldi Aisle of Shame (admit it, you do it). And I found some great storage containers for a good deal. That was the catalyst and it snowballed from there.

But now…I really love these spaces and they are much more functional.

I had some containers, bought the ones from Aldi, and completed the project with some bins from Walmart.

And, no organizing project is complete without cute labels!

While it’s cold and dark out, turn on some tunes, light some candles, and get to those projects that have been bothering you! They make you feel so good!

I Never Thought We’d Be Here

Sometimes in life, you can look at where you are and think, I never thought we’d be here. I remember early last spring feeling as though we were in a reprieve, a rest spot. I remember having this anxious thought during that time, “uh oh, what’s coming, Lord?” He told me to prepare for the ride ahead and to rest in the moment. Much easier said than done.

Then the rains started to fall and the flood waters rose. But somehow, I knew that was only part of the ride. My spirit told me something more was coming and it was going to be later in the year.

Now, here we are, more than four months into unemployment, thinking, I never thought we’d be here. This last week Andrew made it to the third round of interviews for a job we thought he’d get and then he was turned down. The disappointment and feelings of rejection are real. Even when you know whose you are and what God says about you.

I have friends right now facing cancer, chronic illnesses, losing a child, and more. Our situation pales in comparison. Yet, whether it seems big or small to you or to the world, I want you to hear this…

God cares.

He cares so deeply. He cares on an intimate level that only a soulmate can care on. He cares so much that He sends personal reminders at the most perfect moments just so you know He’s thinking about you.

A friend of mine will sometimes post that she was having a really really bad day and feeling miserable and sorry for herself, when along comes a note or sweet gift from a friend, right at the very moment when she needed it most. That’s God! He does those things for us because he cares so deeply for our every hurt, concern, hardship, and situation.

This morning a friend texted and said, “read Psalm 120”. So I did. It was in reference to a completely different situation in my life aside from Andrew not having a job. But then I kept reading and read Psalm 121.

I wrote it out so I could really let it sink in!

And wouldn’t you know it? There was EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. God prompted my friend to text that and get me right on the exact page where He wanted to speak to my hurting heart. And to Andrew’s.

He’s like that. All the time. Start looking for it and you’ll see it. Everywhere.

Another good friend of mine always says, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.” I’m telling you, it’s so true!

Oh Christmas Tree

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree…

I love Christmas trees! I would have one in every room if my hubby let me! I love Christmas, and celebrating Jesus, and I think it’s a worthy goal to celebrate all month long.

This year, our Christmas tree adventure wasn’t all that great. It was 7 degrees outside and I was cold. We rushed down a row of trees, the kids pointing to every one and shouting ‘this one looks good!’ Andrew kept looking at the next tree and the next tree. I finally just stopped at a tree and said ‘cut this one down!’ He thought there might just be another good one farther down but I didn’t care. It took less than 10 minutes, we were mostly frozen, but we got a tree.

Watching the kids pull out their ornaments from every year and remembering how old they were and where they got it, just fills my heart. I used to crave the perfectly decorated tree with matching ornaments, bows, and garland. But I’ve gotten over that and love our mismatched assortment of ornaments that all mean something to my family. I look at each ornament and remember the trip we took, or the baby we were blessed with that year. And my tree has deep meaning throughout the Christmas season because of that.

There’s something so magical about sitting in the living room in the dark (which comes around really early in December in Minnesota) and having the lights of the tree and the glow of the fire. It always reminds me of Jesus who is the Light of the World and commands us to be the same.

When it’s dark and cold and the blustery north wind is howling against our house, the lights on the tree warm our hearts and show us how important it is to shine our light brightly to those around us in this dark world. The darker the world and sin, the brighter Jesus shines in and through us.

This Christmas season, I hope you find time to sit, to ponder, and to truly fall in love with the Light of the World, the reason for the season, Jesus.

Thank You

Two simple words. But they can completely revolutionize our mindset and thinking. Truly, they can.

Years ago, I struggled through some pretty dark depression. My mind swirled with negative thoughts. They waged a war on me, especially in the dead of night. When I look back on those days, I see darkness overshadowing my memories, almost like it was always 4pm on a cold November day.

‘Thank you’ got me out of those days. ‘Thank you’ transformed my thoughts from dark and negative to grateful and full of joy. Please believe me when I say, ‘Thank you’ can save your life.

My counselor had me write three things at the end of each day that I was thankful for. I had a journal next to my bed and every night when I crawled into bed, I’d click on my bedside lamp and grab my journal and pen. And then I’d sit there in bed, pen hovering over blank paper, racking my brain for anything I could possibly say thank you for.

Some nights my list looked like this:

Thank you that I made it through today. Thank you for my family. Thank you for good food.

That list could take me 15 minutes to come up with. It was half-hearted and a struggle. But I did it. Every night. Mostly because I was willing to try anything to feel better and win the war against negative thoughts ruining my life.

What I didn’t realize in the midst of it, but can look back now and see, was that I was slowly but surely rewiring my brain. Did you know that when you choose to be thankful and grateful you actually cause new connections to be made in your brain, until those connections become your regular pathways? You actually change how your brain functions.

After a few months of doing this, it hit me that it was coming naturally. And not just at bedtime when I HAD to do it, but all day. I was starting to see things I could be thankful for in everyday occurrences without effort. I was becoming an optimist, just because I forced myself to be thankful. Suddenly, I didn’t have to force it anymore. It had become a part of me and had made me a better person.

This last year has been a hard one. We’ve faced a lot of change. God told me this past summer he was sifting.

But you know what, I am thankful. I have so much to be thankful for that I haven’t hardly had time to feel anxious or worried over what’s to come. Isn’t that cool? I’m telling you, choosing to be thankful has some consequences.

Consequences like an unquenchable joy, a deep trust in the One who loves me, and no room for anxiety. I’m not making this up!

Today, I can say Thank you, God, that we’ve had four months with Andrew at home with us. Thank you for giving Andrew his joy, health, and energy back and healing him from burn out. Thank you for providing while we trust. Thank you for a sweet new grandbaby. Thank you for true friends who have walked this journey with us every step of the way. Thank you for sifting out the good to make room for the great. Thank you for protection over us while we haven’t had insurance. Thank you for people who truly ask how we’re doing and not just how the job search is going. Thank you for being a great God who we can trust through anything and who never leaves us nor forsakes us. Thank you for making us thankful.

This list could go on and on and flows through my fingers as naturally as a stream babbling along.

If thankfulness doesn’t come naturally for you, start fighting for it. Right now, today. Grab a journal and a pen and force yourself to be thankful. Pretty soon, you’ll find you don’t have to force yourself anymore. Suddenly, one day, you’ll realize you’re just thankful all the time.

Sunset Porch

When the garden is ruined by flooding you take on other projects. Well, at least we do.

We like to stay productive and active and we have lots of ideas that don’t always come together, but this summer one came together more perfectly than I hoped or imagined!

I found this photo years ago of a porch with three walls made of old doors and a tin roof. That got me thinking. I started to collect old doors and Andrew asked around for some. We finally had enough this past spring and Liv and I picked out paint colors and started in!

It took all summer and lots of configuring, measuring, questions, scrounging for materials, and planning. The best part is the whole family helped!

It’s absolutely amazing and magical and if you can’t find me I’ll be tucked in the corner of my property in my sunset porch. Just because I’m on the porch doesn’t mean I’m home!

As you walk up to it from the back yard. It sits in the southwest corner facing west so we can watch the sunset.
As you can see here, we hung twinkling lantern lights. Andrew designed and built the pergola roof with tin.
Here’s the front. Liv and I spent all summer painting flowers on all the doors. We sprayed the doors with urethane to protect our artwork and it frosted the glass, which I absolutely love!
Here’s all our doors! Each one is unique and I love them so much. The best part is I had so much fun connecting with my sweet daughter-in-law while we painted together!
Had to grab some night shots with my new camera! These are so magical!

All I need is some furniture and a Solo Stove and I’ll be set!

Being productive and working hard is important to us. We value it daily in ourselves and our children. The fruit of our labor is so rewarding and fulfilling! And sometimes our labor reaps something so much more beautiful than we could have thought!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Back to School?

The Back to School sales are everywhere. The new notebooks, pencils, markers, and backpacks are colorful and inviting in the store aisles. Parents are gearing up for the fall schedules.

As we walked through the store yesterday, both Andrew and I commented on how much we love brand new school supplies. Neither of us were sure exactly what we love about them, but there’s something that draws us in and makes us want to purchase all the new things.

Seeing it all made me think of how thankful I am that we homeschool. We get to do it our way. We get to choose everything, from subjects to extracurricular activities, to how much time we spend in the car. And, best of all, we GET TO keep our kids home.

I hear so many parents say they can’t wait until school starts again and they can get their kids out of their hair. They can’t wait to drop them off or send them off on the bus. It makes me sad to hear it.

There is no greater joy for me than the fact that I get to have kids with me everyday. I don’t have to get them up at 5:30am to catch a bus and not see them again until 4pm. I don’t have to wonder what they are being taught or what behaviors they are picking up.

And, as so many are ramping up and preparing for crazy schedules, early morning fights, and hours of car time every week, we can sit back and relax and start school when it works for us. I don’t have to jump into the rat race and put that pressure on my kids.

Last year we didn’t start school until October because our garden was going crazy and I was in the midst of canning and freezing and handing out amazing vegetables. So, that was our school for September.

This year, there’s not much happening in our flooded garden so we can start school earlier. But the great thing is, I get to still decide. My older ones will start and I’ll get them established in a routine and then I’ll add the younger ones. We usually start with two subjects and slowly add more into we’re getting through it.

That’s part of the beauty of homeschooling. There are so many beautiful things about it, but choosing our schedules is a big one for me.

My kids have time to play, read, sit, bike, sew, train horses, and be in theater because I make sure we have margin in our schedule. I say no to a lot of good things so we can have dinner together and wake up slowly in the mornings.

Our society decided long ago that we had to be on this rigid schedule and train people to be laborers and government school with bells ringing and scheduled everything was an easy way to train that. If you went through public school you know you were taught to comply.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can go against the grain and pave our own way. A way that’s healthier and better for our kids so they can grow up to be critical thinkers, know they have a choice, and confident in their gifts and talents.

Be encouraged, mamas. You get to set the pace! You get to say no! You get to have your kids home and decide when and what! It’s not the easy path, but it is the good one.

Look carefully the how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

Trip of a Lifetime

After 10 long days, 19 1/2 hours in an airplane, 6 hours in airports, and an hour drive home, we can finally say our girls are home!

Sisters so happy to be reunited!

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for keeping my precious girls safe while they traveled to the other side of the world. I can’t say Thank You enough to our good good Father.

We definitely heard fears from people around us as the girls were preparing for this trip…

“Aren’t you afraid to let them go that far away?”

“What if something happens?”

“I’d never let my daughter do that!”

But God.

God placed Ethiopia on my girls’ hearts and gave us all peace. He confirmed His will when He provided their funds in two months time. God said it’s my will when we met the amazing leaders who were going to watch over our girls. He confirmed it again when we were dropping the girls off at the airport.

Erin (the leader) asked me to pray over the group. After I had prayed a lady, who worked for United, came up and asked, “did I hear you say Ethiopia?” She was from Ethiopia, from the city they were going to, and knew the leader who would lead them around Addis Ababa! She was so sweet and took them all under her wing and got them all settled.

Andrew and I never felt fear over this trip. That’s not because fear couldn’t have been present, it certainly could have. We get to choose if we’re going to sit in fear and let it have our hearts and minds OR combat it with God’s truths and promises.

These reminders from the Lord were the weapons we needed to fight. God is good to give us just what we need.

As we drove home and listened to the amazing stories from Evie and Maddie, we just looked at each other and smiled. Our girls got one of the most amazing experiences of their lives just because we were willing to say yes to God.

It isn’t easy to release our kidd into God’s hands. It takes a lot of trust in Him. It takes knowing Him well. It involves a deep belief that He loves our kids more than we do and He knows exactly what they need to grow their faith.

What if we just sat in fear and never allowed our kids to pursue God’s calling? What would we be hindering in their walk of faith? How would we ever teach them to overcome fear with God’s truth? How could they ever make their faith their own?

Don’t let the hard stop you. Don’t let fear win! Encourage your kids to pray over where God is calling them. Encourage them to pursue God’s dreams for them, even if it means flying to the ends of the earth!

I’m sure there will be many more stories and faith-building experiences in the days to come as my girls process this trip. For now, I  just so thankful they got to go and I’m so thankful they are home! God is good.

Trip of a Lifetime

After 10 long days, 19 1/2 hours in an airplane, 6 hours in airports, and an hour drive home, we can finally say our girls are home!

Sisters so happy to be reunited!

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for keeping my precious girls safe while they traveled to the other side of the world. I can’t say Thank You enough to our good good Father.

We definitely heard fears from people around us as the girls were preparing for this trip…

“Aren’t you afraid to let them go that far away?”

“What if something happens?”

“I’d never let my daughter do that!”

But God.

God placed Ethiopia on my girls’ hearts and gave us all peace. He confirmed His will when He provided their funds in two months time. God said it’s my will when we met the amazing leaders who were going to watch over our girls. He confirmed it again when we were dropping the girls off at the airport.

Erin (the leader) asked me to pray over the group. After I had prayed a lady, who worked for United, came up and asked, “did I hear you say Ethiopia?” She was from Ethiopia, from the city they were going to, and knew the leader who would lead them around Addis Ababa! She was so sweet and took them all under her wing and got them all settled.

Andrew and I never felt fear over this trip. That’s not because fear couldn’t have been present, it certainly could have. We get to choose if we’re going to sit in fear and let it have our hearts and minds OR combat it with God’s truths and promises.

These reminders from the Lord were the weapons we needed to fight. God is good to give us just what we need.

As we drove home and listened to the amazing stories from Evie and Maddie, we just looked at each other and smiled. Our girls got one of the most amazing experiences of their lives just because we were willing to say yes to God.

It isn’t easy to release our kidd into God’s hands. It takes a lot of trust in Him. It takes knowing Him well. It involves a deep belief that He loves our kids more than we do and He knows exactly what they need to grow their faith.

What if we just sat in fear and never allowed our kids to pursue God’s calling? What would we be hindering in their walk of faith? How would we ever teach them to overcome fear with God’s truth? How could they ever make their faith their own?

Don’t let the hard stop you. Don’t let fear win! Encourage your kids to pray over where God is calling them. Encourage them to pursue God’s dreams for them, even if it means flying to the ends of the earth!

I’m sure there will be many more stories and faith-building experiences in the days to come as my girls process this trip. For now, I  just so thankful they got to go and I’m so thankful they are home! God is good.

Trip of a Lifetime

After 10 long days, 19 1/2 hours in an airplane, 6 hours in airports, and an hour drive home, we can finally say our girls are home!

Sisters so happy to be reunited!

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for keeping my precious girls safe while they traveled to the other side of the world. I can’t say Thank You enough to our good good Father.

We definitely heard fears from people around us as the girls were preparing for this trip…

“Aren’t you afraid to let them go that far away?”

“What if something happens?”

“I’d never let my daughter do that!”

But God.

God placed Ethiopia on my girls’ hearts and gave us all peace. He confirmed His will when He provided their funds in two months time. God said it’s my will when we met the amazing leaders who were going to watch over our girls. He confirmed it again when we were dropping the girls off at the airport.

Erin (the leader) asked me to pray over the group. After I had prayed a lady, who worked for United, came up and asked, “did I hear you say Ethiopia?” She was from Ethiopia, from the city they were going to, and knew the leader who would lead them around Addis Ababa! She was so sweet and took them all under her wing and got them all settled.

Andrew and I never felt fear over this trip. That’s not because fear couldn’t have been present, it certainly could have. We get to choose if we’re going to sit in fear and let it have our hearts and minds OR combat it with God’s truths and promises.

These reminders from the Lord were the weapons we needed to fight. God is good to give us just what we need.

As we drove home and listened to the amazing stories from Evie and Maddie, we just looked at each other and smiled. Our girls got one of the most amazing experiences of their lives just because we were willing to say yes to God.

It isn’t easy to release our kidd into God’s hands. It takes a lot of trust in Him. It takes knowing Him well. It involves a deep belief that He loves our kids more than we do and He knows exactly what they need to grow their faith.

What if we just sat in fear and never allowed our kids to pursue God’s calling? What would we be hindering in their walk of faith? How would we ever teach them to overcome fear with God’s truth? How could they ever make their faith their own?

Don’t let the hard stop you. Don’t let fear win! Encourage your kids to pray over where God is calling them. Encourage them to pursue God’s dreams for them, even if it means flying to the ends of the earth!

I’m sure there will be many more stories and faith-building experiences in the days to come as my girls process this trip. For now, I  just so thankful they got to go and I’m so thankful they are home! God is good.