those darn feelings...

i was just talking to adam on the way home from the conference yesterday about how crazy feelings are.
i was reading through philippians (a great book when you are lacking some joy and strength) and i looked a little deeper at the words in chapter 4 verses 6-7. (with the help of my beloved e-sword, which i recommend EVERYONE gets!) and this is how it goes
i know most of us have heard it a million times, but verse 6 says "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Then verse 7 says "and the peace of God which transcends ALL understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". the word guard keep means
be a watcher in advance, that is, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); figuratively to hem in, protect: - keep (with a garrison).

so, God is hemming in...protecting, guarding...wait for it....
your heart. BUTTTTTT....i looked up heart, and it means the heart, that is, (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle: - (+ broken-) heart (-ed).

did you get that??? your FEELINGS!!! why am i so driven by my stupid feelings?!?!? i can either be a total go-getter, or a total lazy bum...same person, same circumstances, different feelings! it's so weird!! but...God promises that he will hem in, guard - like a man on gaurd, protect my feelings!! isn't that what we need??? for our stupid feelings to have a guard just standing there pushing away and fighting off all the sadness, worry, fear, doubt??? anyone with me here??? God's word is so good. so relevent, so NEEDED!! my prayer today is that we will let God be the guard of our hurting, needy hearts and minds. i know satan is throwing those darts at us all...i don't think any one of us is in the place where we don't have a hurting heart, in one way or another. maybe it's not overtaking and consuming you today, but maybe it will be tomorrow. let's hold on - till our knuckles are white - and never let go!! (thanks for the mental picture mel, of holding on!!)
keep holding on!!!

change of plans...

adam and i are going to a pastor's conference in new york, which we had planned on for about 2 months. i would not feel comfortable going without the boys unless they were with someone i completely trusted. melanie is a better mother than i am with the boys :) and she was more than willing to take them for a few days. well, we left sunday afternoon to get to nj that night, then planned to leave monday morning for the conference that started monday night...we thought. monday morning, me and mel went out for a bagel and coffee (sigh. i sure do miss her!!!) and when we were there my dad called. he said. um...the conference doesn't start until tomorrow. well, my dad is jokester, so i thought he was joking - NOPE!! so, that was our change of plans. it was actually a beautiful day, so me, mel and the boys went to a little pumpkin farm nearby, and went shopping. could a day get any better?!?!? we had a great time, and i am so thankful for the extra day i got to spend with my mel. we are leaving in about an hour to make the 3 1/2 hour trip to ny.
here are some pictures of our amazing day yesterday.

i love shoes...

...and my birthday is next month. do what you want with those 2 sentences. :)

* are these not the cutest shoes?!? sometimes i have a hard time finding what will match with them, but they are still one of my favorite pairs!

riley joel

i wish i could record riley all day long. he says the funniest things! he is always cracking me up, and what is so funny is he doesn't even realize he's being funny! he is a little nut, but still so sweet and sensitive. he needs to have his puppy blanky at night, and i hope that lasts forever!
here he is putting his game face on before practice...


and here is his happy face

when apple pie becomes a problem

here's the dealio. i love the fall. i also love sugar. what is a better way to celebrate 2 things you love? bake in the fall. here's the problem with that. adam and the boys don't like apple pie, and i do. so the problem is that once the delicious, warm pie is done...there is only 1 person to eat it!!! but, because i could never justify having a huge piece of pie, i just pick at it a little at a time! then i think to myself, why didn't you just cut a slice, sit down on the couch and actually ENJOY it?!? instead, each time i walk by i cut just a spoonful. i haven't finished all my research on this yet, but i am pretty positive that the calories and fat grams are exactly the same regardless of if you are sitting down eating it in a bowl, or secretly shoving a spoonful in your mouth. oh well, and for the record, i did not eat ALL of the part that is missing. jeff and natalya helped me a little last night.

one of my favorite verses

colossians 3:4 "...Christ, WHO IS OUR LIFE..." this is not a religion. Christ IS my life!!

"Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto his stature? and why are ye anxious...be therefore not anxious about tomorrow..."

my sweet aj

i love my boys. sometimes i just look at aj and he seems so old to me. he is becoming so mature, and so godly, and he is almost as tall as i am!! but tonight, he was my sweet little baby that i fondly remember rocking to sleep at night...every SINGLE night!:) he came into my bedroom, and said "mommy, i'm sorry, but can you tuck me in again and snuggle buggle for a little bit". if that doesn't melt a mommy's heart, i don't know what will! (so i did, by the way!)

homeschooling

i feel like i just have so much inside of me, dying to come pouring out!! i don't know how to express it all. anyone that knows me well, knows that i am extremely passionate about raising kids. i admit that i get frustrated...beyond frustrated, actually, with christian parents (the ones who are writing blogs that hundreds are following, or writing books that thousands are reading) who are throwing their hands up in despair as though there is just no way to raise godly kids, and every single thing is a "stage" that every kid goes through. i do not believe that our loving, compassionate God (the one who says that although he leads all of his flock as a shepherd, he is GENTLY leading those that are with young) is just sitting back and giving no words, no instruction, no anything to us moms who are trying to raise godly kids in a very ungodly world!!! i love my Bible so much, that there are times that i just want to bring it with me in the car to have next to me. i honestly sometimes rub the pages that i have just read...not because i think that it is magical, but because i know it is powerful! and it is living! and it is practical! and it is PRECIOUS to me! God is not confused by our culture. hello?? anyone hear ever read about noah? i think there have been some pretty wicked things going on in this world before now!
my one main point is that i am so grateful that my loving heavenly Father has given me clear instruction on how to raise my boys. i just came across this quote, that i thought was awesome. "I home school because I want just a little bit longer with my children's hearts!" my point is not to judge those that aren't homeschooling, and act as if i think i am better than anyone. i absolutely do not think that at all. but i do want a little longer with my boys hearts. i just read in proverbs that we are to "ABOVE ALL" guard our hearts!!
i love that i have the privilege to be at home with my boys, and that i am able to teach them how to fear God. oh i could just go and read the entire book of deuteronomy right now, but i think i should go see what the boys are doing...haha :)

tomorrow is the big race day!

i can't believe the 5k race i am directing is tomorrow. it has totally consumed and overtaken my entire life. i will blog more after i regain strength from my frequent panic attacks :)

we sure do miss those curriers!!!

blast from the past...

thought you might enjoy my little walk down memory lane :)

we got a new fireplace!! it is so beautiful, and makes our little living room look so cozy! i love it!! i am extending an open invitation to anyone who wants to come over for a cup of coffee and enjoy the warm glow :) you don't even have to call first!