Be, been, become...

On New Year's, it is a great time to look back at what has been
placed into our lives. It is a time to reflect on the good times and
bad. I am deeply grateful for EVERY moment, EVERY experience, EVERY person God has given me. It is amazing to see what God has placed into my life and what He has taken away to shape the person I am to become! 

I am challenged to be greater than I was yesterday!

In the year(s) that lie ahead, I pray I will...love deeper
share more freely
press my mute button more often
listen more attentively
not judge (even when I think I know all the facts)
to embrace the life God has given ME not the life given to the ones around me
to treasure time and learn my limitations
to simply say NO when I need to and allow my heart to say YES when I feel led to
take a backseat occasionally
to allow God to be my pilot and let HIM give directions to my destination
when the plan veers off course- to be patient
be slow to speak and quick to listen
be uplifting and encouraging to others
set boundaries where needed
be more tender-hearted
be thankful in all things
to place others before myself
to do all things with a sincere heart
to serve heartily
to know my own vulnerabilities
to do all things without grumbling or complaining
be filled with grace and mercy
know that NOTHING is impossible
be humble, be a peacemaker
be still
be organized in my days
may the meditations of my heart be sweetness to The Lord

May I BE exactly the person God created me to BECOME!

A lesson in grace

So, I have been reading a great book over the past year. Yes, I said YEAR. It is one of those books that you read, reread, then reference back to, it's that good. It isn't an easy read but definetly a worthy read. The book is called Give them Grace.  It is one thing to read about giving your kids grace and agreeing with the biblical teachings, but totally different to actually put it into practice. 

Yesterday, we had piano lessons. An hour before we left for our lesson, I reminded my daughter to get her books ready. Once we got in the car to leave, I asked her again if she had her books. She insisted
that she had her books. Of course you know how the story ends, we get to piano and my daughter had left the books by the door. It's kinda hard to do a piano lesson with no books. I must admit, on the inside I
was fuming. Thankfully, the student before us let her borrow her books. Our piano teacher shared a story of how when she was little and forgot her books, her father took away her allowance to pay for that
lesson. This sparked what I thought was an adequate punishment, after all- it WAS chore day. So, we agreed, my daughter would joyfully do the chores this week with no allowance as her punishment for being irresponsible. Seems fair and extending grace, right?

Well, the short answer is...No, not exactly

The next day, we got ready for school. It was an unusual morning. We were ready ahead of schedule. We took advantage of this 'extra' time and double checked the backpack to make sure we had everything. Then, we were off! It felt good to get there before the doors swung open. As my daughter got out of the car, I realized I had not put my daughters backpack back into the car. She had done her part and rolled in out to our car, but I forgot to load it!

Now, what about that responsibility thing?

Talk about getting my attention!

God spoke to my heart loud and clear,

Give Them Grace!

grace- Pronunciation: grās- The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.

Was this the reaction I had with my daughter?

Did I seek to extend love, kindness, and unmerited favor?

Are you filled with grace as you discipline your child?

Rejoice freely in His steadfast love

 and share that happiness with all those around you,

ESPECIALLY your kids!

Core values

Core values
My husband's company, Claris networks has core values.   These aren't just words that look nice on paper or impressive on a plaque. The core values reflect how they live and breathe on a daily basis.  It is an amazing place to work, upholding not only ethical work conduct but truly 'networking' with the community. 
Having such a great workplace has reinforced our own family values.  We have some simple motives in our home, love God and love others. There are so many other values that take root from these simple rules - respect, patience, kindness, honor, generosity just to name a few. 
Galatians  22-25,  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

We teach these values and attempt to try our best to model them before our children. However,  it is when tested that these values hold true and really shine.  On a recent business trip with my husband, that was just the case. 

I had a long relaxing day by the beach while my husband sat in meetings all day.  At the end of the day, we both looked forward to reconnecting over dinner. On this particular evening, there was an arranged dinner with the said organization.  I had gotten ready and anxiously awaited my husband's arrival.  We briefly caught up on the day's events and went on our way to dinner.  We were delighted to find out that the dinner was held in the penthouse of the hotel. The view was incredible. We walked into the room, and soon were caught in conversation.  I was abruptly interrupted and informed that spouses were NOT invited to this event. This information was a shocking surprise considering that detail was not communicated in the agenda for the evening and all past events would indicate otherwise. 
It was my immediate thought that this is a business trip, I would just enjoy dining alone and meet up with my husband after the event. 
But it was at this time, I was shown a great deal of respect. My husband stated his disappointment in the poor communication of the details for the evening. After which, he took my arm and said, " where would you like to eat dinner dear?"   
It was at this time that he stood firm in placing value on respect and  family first! Something to not take lightly. 
While this may seem like a little thing and somewhat insignificant, it is in these small moments that the heart is truly revealed.  It is at this time when protecting the fabric of your marriage and family is so important. 
1 Corinthians  16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
Do your actions match your value system?  When put to the test, is your initial response that which reflects honor, respect, and love?

T.M.I.

I thought I would go ahead and call this post what it is...or at least what it might be to some.  T.M.I.  If you are like me, and arent 'up' with all the abbreviations, you are probably asking, what is TMI- so if you are, this disclaimer is for you, TMI= To Much Information!  Yes, I will go ahead and admit, this blog entry may be too much for SOME of you.  So, you may want to go ahead and STOP reading.  If you are still reading...it is at your own discretion!
Do you have a nickname for your beloved?  My husband and I have nicknames for each other.  They arent your everyday 'Honey' or 'Babe', although honestly, we do use those names more often than not!  But we also have nicknames that have come from some inside meaning that makes it meaningful to us, maybe not to anyone else, but it makes US smile!

My nickname for my husband is Snickers.  You must be asking Why? I am so glad you asked!  Do you remember the ads for Snickers? It satisfies.  That is my husband, he keeps me satisfied. 
SATISFIED:

Meet the expectations, needs, or desires of (someone).

Fulfill (a desire or need).

My husband = Snickers (satisfaction)

12 years of marriage, happiness and filled with joy.  But what about those days when I wake up on the wrong side, what about the days when he doesnt help around the house, what about those days when he is grumpy or stressed out? Is he still my 'Snickers'? 

The short answer is...Yes. 

The long answer is, I have something more than satisfaction.  I have comfort and FULL dependence on the Lord!

So, Yes- my sweet hubby is and always will be my cup of satisfaction but my Lord is the root of my devotion, love, and joy that I am able to derive and share. The Lord doesn't want us just to be 'satisfied', he want us to abound with His love and Joy.  This kind of emotion is not obtained by earthly means but only from the heavens above. 

God has given us the promise of abundant living here, but true, long lasting satisfaction will only come when sin is completely cancelled, these frail bodies are made whole, and we see Him face-to-face.

What is the area of dissatisfaction in your life? Someday it will be made right. All will be whole and well. If you know Christ, you’ll wake up and be satisfied completely.

Lord, help me find my satisfaction completely in you.

Family Challenge...

I am currently reading a book about Spiritual Disciplines. It has impressed upon me the importance of daily bible intake and memorization.  I am endeavoring to make this journey 'fun' for the family and to also plug into our competitive spirits! 

So....We have started a family challenge!

For our first verse of the week, we chose 2 Peter 1:6-7

Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love

My daughter is like a sponge, so she quickly learned this verse and was happy to challenge me! 

I also noticed that the more she said the verse, the more it became apparent in her attitude.  I noticed more love and kindness between my kids.

Having the words fresh on their lips and in their minds seemed evident in their hearts through their behavior!

I commented to my daughter how kind-hearted she had been acting towards her brother.  She then turned to me and asked, "I know the bible says BROTHERLY kindness but is there anything in there about SISTERLY kindness?"

Nothing like a little literal translation!

Camp Ta-Pa-Win-Go, arrival day

Back ground Info: Our church supports many diverse missionaries across the globe. One of our local missionaries is a camp in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee called Camp Ta-Pa-Win-Go. This camp exists to share the love of Jesus Christ. A group from our church goes up to this camp each year to run the day camp and share the gospel with these precious children. Last year over 100 campers attended and we are praying that our number increases even more this year. 

Family Mission Trip Day 1~
The day started with the hustle and bustle of trying to get everything together, pack the car, and think of any last minute details.  I must have checked the car a dozen times and I am still wondering if I have everything?!
Then we are off...
For some of us, the familiarity of camp comes to mind, the comfort of knowing where to go and what to expect.  Then the barrage of questions begin from the backseat, 'will we have the same cabin?' 'can we swim?' 'can I do the zip line this year?'
For other members of our team, there is a bit of uncertainty, the unknown and anxiety of what to expect.

I pray the Lord will quiet our hearts and minds to achieve His purpose, to unite us together for His glory.  I pray for each and every child attending camp to have open eyes to see, open ears to hear, and receptive hearts to receive Jesus as their personal Savior.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.  ~Philippians 2:13 

 We have been blessed with a day filled with excitement for what the Lord has done for this camp, providing an impressive Boy's cabin just this year. 

Our team came together for our first song and skit practice on stage

 and even enjoyed some relaxing time in the pool before calling it a day!

I cant wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Patience…what does that really look like?

• Waiting for a refill after eating spicy wings

• Is it waiting in the Black Friday shopping line for over TWO hours for one item

• The months that seem to never pass between dating and the big question of “Will you marry me?”

• And then of course there is the time leading from the engagement to the wedding...

• Standing over a cold dinner waiting for your husband to get home from work, when he was suppose to be home 30 minutes ago when the dinner was actually hot

• Wondering each month if you will be pregnant, desperately wanting a child after multiple miscarriages

• Potty training (no more needs to be said about that)

• Your child’s tantrum in the middle of the store with everyone looking at you

• Anticipating the phone call from the bank for approval to close on your new home.

• Waiting at a traffic light when the person in front of you is too busy texting to pay attention and you sit through an entire green light without going anywhere.

• Betraying someone and waiting for their forgiveness, waiting for the awkward time together, not knowing what to say or do but anticipating the moment.

• Is it waiting for the phone call from your doctor to tell you the test results to know if your cancer has spread?

Patience: the capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint. Patience emphasizes calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay



All these situations require patience on many different levels. The common thread is how you respond given the circumstance. Are you overcome with worry, anger, bitterness, shame, or guilt? Or are you calm and filled with peace? And what fills you with peace to keep the other emotions from creeping in and taking over? Remember without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Thessalonians 1:3) Knowing and accepting the unchanging nature of God provides stability and inner peace. Stress dissipates when you acknowledge your dependence on God and His ultimate control over your life and circumstance. Be anxious for nothing, but everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6). It is only through faith in our Lord that you can be filled with peace and ultimate patience.

Do is your best, take care of the possible and leave the impossible to God, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
(1 James 1:3-4)

Spiritual Gardening

Today I had the pleasure (not so much) of pulling weeds. I did not realize how bad it had gotten until I started the job and was 2 hours into it and still had ALOT of work to do. When I volunteered to help my husband knock out this project, I thought it would be quick and easy. I was proven wrong very quickly.


I pulled some weeds very easily. These were not rooted in the ground and were easy for me to pull out. While others were a bit difficult to pull out. These were rooted into the ground so far that I had to DIG them out! I made it through the front and side of my house and felt pretty good about how much I had accomplished. Then I got to the back yard and had my work cut out for me. At first glance, I thought to myself 'I just need to get someone else to do this'! Then as I started working, I had another great idea, 'you really can't see the weeds behind the hedges anyhow- so why bother'. Then of course I realized that if I didnt pull all of the weeds, they would spread and take over the whole flower bed. So, I rolled up my sleeves and pulled more than my share of weeds.

I got to the bank behind our retaining wall and honestly, I found weeds that were taller than me! (Dont laugh- I know it doesnt take much to be taller than me, but hey- we are talking weeds here, okay). These weeds were not going anywhere either! I had to laugh at myself because I pulled with ALL of my weight behind it, with all of my strength and nothing. Really? It cant be that hard to pull. Then I was even more determined to get it out, I got it out but it broke at the base. I thought, great- now it will just grow back and I will have to do this all over again. Not going to happen. I needed reinforcement! So, I got out the handy shovel and dug this huge weed out.

What weeds do you have in your life? What are you cultivating? What is getting in the way, distracting you from the Lord and the beauty He has laid out for you? Is it negativity, doubt, lack of faith, insecurity?  There are some 'weeds' that are easily removed from your life. There are others that we have neglected to pay attention to for a long time. These 'weeds' that we have just ignored, that maybe are hidden to others sight but keep rearing their ugly heads in life. These are the things that we need reinforcement to help us. . It is those deep rooted 'weeds' in our lives that if not pulled, will spread into other areas of our life. When we call on the Lord to help get rid of these deep rooted hindrances in our life, we are better equipped to handle the job.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37) and He will give you all the strength you need.


At the end of this weed pulling project, I was dirty from my hands up to my elbows. I was so happy to get that project out of the way. I never want to see another weed again! The sad thing is....no matter how good of a job I did with pulling weeds today, there will be more, it is just a matter of time. Just like the weeds in your life, they will come back. You just have to be willing to roll up your sleeves, get reinforcement, and pull them out!

Lord Jesus, please help me to identify the weeds of my sinful nature and to get the shovel and dig out the root. Help me to allow Your law of sowing and reaping to take place in my life so it can become the garden of fruitfulness, filled with the fruits of the Spirit.  In due time, I will reap with shouts of joy.