Monday, January 31, 2011

High/Low Monday

High:

#1 Already have received promises of $85 toward the $150 deposit that is due this Sunday for the Idaho trip. I love watching God prove Himself to me again and again. See that's what's so great about prayer. You lift it up and then you watch the reality of God come to life. It's good stuff :) Now I have another reason to lift my praise to Him.

#2 Got signed up for the marriage conference hosted by Kirk Cameron. My whole Bible study group is going which is a pretty fantastic way of bringing our 16 week inductive study on marriage to a close. What a blessing this study and this group of ladies has been to me.

Low:

My tummy and my head have hurt basically all day :(. Hoping to wake up a new woman in the am.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

High/Low-Sunday

High:

Idaho meeting. Sound strange? Yeah I know....
2 summers ago I had the privilege of going to Romania to participate in missions at a camp there. It was a wonderful trip and it was just the beginning for me when it comes to missions.

I have been a part of many mission minded events having grown up in the church. However, they were just things I joined in on. These days God has given me a heart to be more of a pursuer of missions. I knew Jeff was really wanting to go to Romania this year and I really want him to be able to, but that meant I had less and less chance of making a trip myself, especially oversees or one that was a hefty price.

So, I was burdened and discouraged having an intense desire to do something, go somewhere for the sake of mission work, but having no obvious opportunity. I knew God had given me these desires and I knew He was wanting to use me in this way, but how, where, when?

And then came Idaho :)

The moment I realized this opportunity existed I knew it was for me. It's a construction mission, building a church for believers who have no where to meet and no money to fund a building. It's a mission for fellow believers. I've never really thought of missions being for other believers, only for evangelism type stuff. I'm so excited to think that I will be a part of something that brings believers together and then allows them to evangelize more in their own community. What a privilege it is to help the body of Christ!

I know how thankful I am for my own church and how it consistently reaches out to the community and how much it has blessed my own family. I think we often forget that not everybody has a place to worship, a place to serve and a way to meet needs. There are people in Idaho who don't, but they will soon and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.

Low:

(warning, shameless plug ahead)
I don't have my own money to fund the trip. This means I need donations. This is really pretty normal, people asking for help to take a missions trip. However, one of our financial goals is to have a fund that supports these kind of things. The fact that we have no money to help ourselves for these things bothers me b/c I know if we had made better decisions in the past, we would. So I continue to pray for God's provisions not only for this particular trip, but for all future trips. And not only for ourselves but for the many others who are out winning the world for Christ!

High and Low of Saturday

High:

#1 Jeff cleaned the entire house. I love my man for so many reasons and that is just one of them.

#2 Got some scrapbooking done. Yes, while my husband was cleaning house. I told you he's incredible.

#3 Got grocery shopping done and our house is full of food. At least for a couple of days. Gahlee my kids eat like horses. (I realize gahlee is not really a word)

#4 Cody played outside today which means he's getting better. For having the flu, he has been fortunate with only mild symptoms compared to other cases.

Low:

Realization that I may always be this size. Stink.

So, reading this list and the fact that my size was the only downer of the day I think this post needs a little 'Praise the Lord, Hallelujah' moment.

I often wonder why I have the privilege of living in a free country, having a home, an education, two kids, each gender, a healthy marriage, great doctors, an incredible church, the ability to teach and play with my kids, the ability to mentor others and have such a great spiritual family.

I could so easily be living somewhere else in the world where none of that would be possible. I often wonder too, why has God allowed these things for me. What does He expect out of me? I really feel like He's moving me in different directions so that all He has done for me can bring Him glory. And that is what I truly hope happens!

Friday, January 28, 2011

High/Low of the day

High:
Cody had no fever today and we actually got a satisfactory amount of school work done without much grumbling from anyone.

Low:
Jeff got paid today and the money just doesn't cover it all.

Well it covers every need we have, which is a high, just not some wants. I'm very thankful for God's provisions that He provides through Jeff's amazing career. But, I'd be lying if I didn't confess the dissappointment I have felt today over the desires I have but can't attain.

God is teaching us to do it right and to not mess up our finances ever again, as we use to do so regularly. I'm grateful that God deems me worthy of the lesson but boy is it painful sometimes.

And He has been gracious enough on several occasions to just bless us out of nowhere. We are ever grateful for those moments as well.

I realize I am rich in so many ways and I grieve for those who truly have needs I'll never personally understand.

But the truth remains that I do feel discouraged at times and well today has been one of those. So today's low is more like a confession. There it is. Hope you don't think less of me.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

A new kind of post

I've been thinking lately about how the Bible says that iron sharpens iron and how I know it is so comforting to hear that other people struggle, and that other people celebrate life's great moments as well. It's a great thing to be connected to others in the Highs and Lows of life. So, I'm gonna try to start a series of posts documenting the Highs/Lows of each day. It may bore you to death or it may help you feel some sanity to see you aren't the only one with ridiculous life events :)

So, this is the first, though its very early in the day still.

High: No school and Jeff is home

explanation: I called our school off today. I can do that b/c I'm the only teacher and my husband is the principal :) And we make our own schedules....major perk of homeschooling.

further explanation: Jeff is off on Thursdays and it is always the highlight of our week. He is my best friend and I love doing the routine of our week together on this one day.

Low: The reason I called school off--Cody has the flu. He is pitiful and I hate to see him down and out. Our family always seems to have negative things happen as soon as something fun is about to happen.

A couple of years ago in the early stages of Cody's piano life, he picked out the piece "Arabesque" to try to learn to play. It was quite advanced for him and so he just wasn't ready to master it. Over the past couple of years he has advanced quickly in his piano playing and has continued to have the desire to learn that piece.

He has spent all last semester learning it and has truly mastered it. His teacher and I are so proud of him and he was very ready to play it for the recital.

........which is tomorrow night. bummer. bummer. bummer. He won't get to play. After all that time and effort he will not get to showcase it. He's so disappointed.

I guess it's a good teaching opportunity since God instructs us to boast in nothing but Him. We are anything at all only because He is everything to us.

So that's our high and low for today. Thankful for God's sovereignty in all of it!