... birthing them was the easy part!
I was told my doctors that I would never have any children, so the fact that we were blessed with two in spite of my reproductive issues has always filled me with much gratitude and awe of God’s grace.
This week I have had six children…well, at least I have had four extra’s in my home.
To get the rest of the story and consider a challenge I am throwing out to you, join me over at Family Matters Blog where I am guest posting today!
The movie Courageous is life changing – take it from me, take it from the over 1,000,000 people who saw it last weekend who made it the #1 movie in America….even though it is showing in 1/2 of the theaters the big Hollywood movies opened up in last week.
My husband and I loved it, our 15 year old son loved it and our 18 year old daughter loved it. My daughter “forced” a big group of college friends to spend money (yes, poor struggling college students) to go see it last weekend during a matinee showing because she SO wanted them all to see it.
She shared with me that after the movie they were LITERALLY walking up to strangers telling them they had to go see the movie. They walked all around campus telling people to go see it and they have been talking it up all week, making phone calls back home! They “get it” that the movie Courageous will change families for the better.
So really … GO SEE COURAGEOUS!!!
Enjoy this music video to get you as fired up as my daughter then make a phone call to hubby, some friends, a babysitter…go see the movie!
Mom’s have this radar that exists while we sleep that allows us full consciousness, even in our unconsciousness! If you are a mom I know you get what I am saying.
Our family vacation each summer requires a long road trip and I am most blessed to have a husband that prefers to do all the driving. That leaves me with the option of engaging in fun and games with my children, chatting incessantly, quietly reading, writing or sleeping. Usually sleeping on the way to vacation is not much of a need, but afterwards I am particularly weary and catching some shut eye on the nine hour drive home is usually a welcomed treat. Put more bluntly, I take full advantage of the situation and sleep like a baby…a very worn out baby!
At the end of our vacation this summer as I was snoozing on a stack of pillows on the center car console I was abruptly awakened from my sound sleep…
Join me over at Family Matters to read the rest of the story…
Hello friends…this is a waterlogged Tracey reporting in…I am one weary woman.
As my heart was heavy last week for the families who experienced devastation by the power of the wind, I had no way of knowing that the power of water was about to be made most evident to my family.
On Saturday night the waters rose, like never before and right as I was gathering up the family keepsakes to throw into some suitcases and a big box the rain stopped. The forecast and even the radar indicated rain was to continue throughout the morning, day and night. But Sunday morning at 4:30 a.m. the rain stopped. A mere 25 feet from our back door.
Prior to the rain stopping we went from a “normal” Saturday night, to torrential downpours of up to eight inches and wading through hip deep water to move our horses from their flooded barn to a hastily relocated round pen. Said round pen being made up of eight foot steel panels that my hubby carried from the back field to our front yard in a lightening storm and driving rain.
Our front yard was a river as water flowed towards the back and our back yard was a lake as the tributaries far behind our property reached swollen river proportions!
I had to call 911 to get a rescue team out here to get our neighbors on one side out by boat, while watching various automobiles on my neighbors property on the other side slip silently under the rising waters.
I have a new understanding for voices of the past I have heard utter, “the water just rose so fast, we didn’t have time to do anything, but just find a way to get out” – I now know first hand that water…moves…fast!
I managed to take a couple photos with my iphone during the deluge, the remaining photos here are of the aftermath.
I am praising the Lord that our home was spared, and I am well aware of others who have lost lives and homes in the storms that have raged across the United States recently. My little patch of land and the remaining scars are few and I am very grateful for that.
I encourage each of us to consider what steps our own families should take to help those who have experienced loss in the face of the recent weather disasters. Many of those don’t have a computer or a camera to post their aftermath…if seeing these photo’s gives you an inkling of compassion and empathy I invite you to multiply that for those precious others and act on it – give of your time, talent and treasure to help them.
neighbors furniture in our back field
refuse stuck in our four foot fence
My teens running to greet my parents (visiting from another state) with open arms and lots of energetic happiness.
My teen daughter “pile driving” her MUCH larger younger brother and him grinning from ear to ear because she still wants to tousle with him!
Me declaring I want to play Kinect and my teens and parents joining in – that was a site to behold!
My father down at the corral gently petting our horses Honey and Dot…knowing that he grew up on a farm and it’s been many long years since he’s hung out with farm animals.
My teens hugging their grandparents each night before bed.
Daily walks with my parents…and the remembering old times.
My husband and son wrestling in the kitchen and upon me telling them to cut it out before someone get’s hurt – them simultaneously looking at me and saying, “What?”
My daughter encouraging her brother on his Science Fair project and reminding him it’s the last one he will ever have to do!
Finding the mutilated remains of my sons Science Fair project in the back seat of my car. Upon questioning him…his matter of fact declaration, ”I certainly don’t want to save it – why not tear it up!” as he happily gathered up the pieces and delivered it straight to the trash can!
My children clearing the table off without being asked…and my mom noticing and telling them how thoughtful they were.
My children arguing over who was going to clean the kitchen, and my mom chuckling and giving a knowing grin.
Playing speed scrabble with my parents.
Realizing my daughter and mother were missing and learning they had snuck off together to have some time alone to catch up and chat!
Seeing my Dad tear up when my daughter modeled her prom dress for him and then watching him get up from his seat and hug and kiss her.
My mom beating the rest of us profusely at cards – and her posting the proof of that fact on our fridge with the word LOSERS by our names.
Laying in bed each night and wondering how many other precious memories we will be blessed to make with my parents this side of heaven…and lifting up prayers of gratefulness.
We lived in the great state of Texas for just over five years…and we loved it! One of the things we had always wanted to do while living there was spend a day at Six Flags Over Texas Amusement Park. Well, somehow that never happened.
So, that’s been on our family “bucket list” for a long while. We knew one of these days we would manage to make that happen…but time is slipping away as our daughter is a Senior in High School.
Well, hubby got this great idea late last week that we would just up and go during Spring Break! So last Friday night he asked if I’d get a hotel and he’d take care of everything else. I was on it…quick – I went on Priceline.com and got an epically amazing deal at a 4 star hotel directly across the street from Six Flags! My job done, I excitedly stood by as I watched hubby tell of the great adventure we were FINALLY going to go on to fulfill the years long dream of Six Flags! Woo Hoo!
Each teen was told they could invite a friend to come along, hubby bought road snacks and got the oil changed in the car and late Sunday afternoon we drove nearly six hours to Texas! The ride was long, but filled with anticipation and conversation around our plan to conquer as many rides as possible…we had great fun during our road trip!
As hubby left the car to check into the hotel the rest of us chatted excitedly about the fresh fun-filled day that was just hours away!
Picture with me…hubby at the front desk of the hotel – after checking us in he asked the hotel desk clerk what time Six Flags opened in the morning…blank stare…crickets chirping…”uh, Six Flags is not opened tomorrow” – no, no, no, no, no, no…he did not, absolutely DID NOT just say that…epic fail. Smile replaced by furrowed brow, slumped shoulders… my 6 foot 5, 220 pound man shudders, stumbles, weaves and in slow motion slowly but surely comes crashing to the floor of that fancy marble hotel foyer.
Now, while his physical frame did not do that…his “I am Super Dad countenance sure did!” You see, this was all his idea, his plan and he was flying high as the Hero Dad who had fulfilled the dreams of his teens. And now he had the unenviable task of trudging back out to the parking lot and sharing his new found “dream crushing” news to the happy, lively teen and mom contents of his road weary Suburban.
Well, I am happy to report after a few, “Your kidding right?” moments, the teens in the car took the news with a large amount of shock and a larger amount of grace. I mean really…they were stellar in the way they embraced this mountain of a man who was feeling very small at that precise moment.
The sentence I heard that rings in my ears the loudest is, “Well, I guess God has something different for us!”
We had a great time “doing nothing” in Dallas and “doing nothing” all the way home from Dallas. Basically anytime someone wanted to stop…we did. We checked out various locations, businesses and had a lovely afternoon at a Texas State Park just wandering and, well…doing nothing.
Much conversation, much laughter, interesting eats and a Suburban full of memory making.
Yeah…I just wish I could get guaranteed that same rate when we try again this summer and I certainly wish gas prices were not so dadgum high during our “pointless” trip to Dallas. But really…who cares?
Last night when we got home at midnight hubby said, “I wonder what God spared us from?”
Well, I’m not sure what the answer to that question is, but I do know that we enjoyed being together and we made some fantastic memories. For that I am eternally grateful!
That just goes to show you…Spring Break is not about the destination folks, it’s about the journey!
Serving at FamilyLife and getting to be a part of what we do to minister to couples is an amazing blessing. When hubby and I were blessed with the opportunity last week to go on the Love Like You Mean It Cruise – it was especially fun – and as previously proven I am ALL ABOUT fun!
So, traveling is always a bit hectic and dicey and last week we went through all the big bad hassle of traveling to Florida to go on this amazing five day Love Like You Mean It Cruise. The cruise was created by FamilyLife for married couples to learn how to “do” marriage, while having great Christian entertainment, while trapped on a boat together. (Did I just type that?) I mean for couples to connect while enjoying each other’s company on a magnificent cruise ship all the while learning about doing married life well! Yeah…that’s it – actually that is what happened!
The ENTIRE ship was filled with couples who were there to strengthen their marriage – and that my friends, was WAY COOL!
Anyway… our treat upon our arrival in Florida is that we were on a bus riding over to the dock with the entire Point of Grace crew! Way fun! The Point of Grace ladies were beautiful inside and out, obviously great friends because I was seeing some serious “girl friend” quips, fun and silliness going on. Made me want to jump right in the middle of them and be their friend too. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, they sing like I think I can, so I’m guessing I could just fit right in and be a Point of Grace. {Thinking such thoughts is allowed, no matter how far fetched and delusional.}
We were just talkin a mile a minute with the babe like moms and quickly learned that all but one of them had hubby aboard, so some Lovin Like Ya Mean It was going to be happening for them as well. Their drummer was a newlywed and his adorable new little wife was there and they looked like they were especially looking forward to the cruise experience.
Later in the week we hung out on a beach together and I held myself back from trying to become one of them….or their best friend….hubby and I just sat near them and smiled at the fun they were having with each other. I’m telling you – they are the real deal my friends! They love the Lord and love relationship with each other and making each other laugh! It was a joy to behold.
I have long been a Point of Grace fan…as no doubt you are too, so let me just tell ya, if you had been with me you would’ve liked what you witnessed…and you would have wanted to become their new best friend too!
I’m guessing they don’t limit friendships – they seem to have enough love to go around. God does that to people when He gets a hold of them…ya know!
Tomorrow maybe I’ll tell you about my adventures with Big Daddy Weave, or Shaunti Feldhahn, or Selah, or Michael O’Brien, or 3-2-1 Improv, or Kirk and Chelsea Cameron – so much fun!
Ok, so I have been avoiding writing this post because it seems too braggy…name droppy (are those even words?) but here I go.
First, let me tell you why I go here…because God did it, not me!
Five years ago I was living in West Virginia, as that was hubby’s latest assignment from corporate America, and I was distraught. You see, I didn’t want to be there, I didn’t want my husband to be married to his job and I didn’t want my children to become spoiled rotten due to the lifestyle that was nipping at our heels.
I was in constant prayer that God would turn my hubby’s heart towards home! I knew we were supposed to be in some sort of Christian ministry and I prayed that we could remain in tact until God allowed that to happen. I figured it would be upon his retirement.
There were times I wanted to rant and rave and throw a big o hissy fit, but God kept telling me to trust Him and just keep working on myself…and keep my mouth shut and support my husband.
Little did I know that a mere four months later my husband would up and walk away from a 22 year career. God did a mighty work in that man (not me, not my rants and raves that were silenced by God’s promptings) as he followed God’s call to seek significance over success.
Through a series of circumstances that only God could put together we somehow found ourselves being offered a job at FamilyLife. My hubby took all that knowledge and experience from corporate America and became the COO of FamilyLife.
Which brings me to the first sentence in this post – last week I did a video interview for MomLife Today with Kay Arthur.
Yes.
Kay Arthur.
How does that even happen?
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20
And then I came home, helped my son study, made dinner, finished up the laundry, wrote a CHRISTmas letter with hubby and stayed up far too late chatting with my daughter!
Pinch me!
So, when asked to host the Board of Directors of FamilyLife for dinner at my home I readily accepted, thinking…that’ll be fun!
Really? Fun? What was I thinking?
OK, it did end up being fun, because they are an amazing group of men, but I am here to confess I jumped into my crazy cycle for a little while.
It went something like this, oh no…
Then it went something like this…”get over it, they are not coming to critique – they are coming to enjoy fellowship and food!” I liked that “something” to think on better!
As it turns out after all that fretting I went with what I knew my hubby liked, good simple “fun” food accompanied by an amazing dessert! My menu consisted of a taco salad bar with all the fresh fixins, accompanied by some amazing hot bubbly cheesy cornbread and ”to die for” pumpkin with cream cheese frosting cupcakes – that served as the centerpiece on my table! My teens and I cleaned the house a little “extra good” and I was able to squeeze 10 people around my table!
The really amazing thing is that the day before Barbara (Rainey) called and said, “Hey can I bring some mums and pumpkins over to your house!” And she arrived with just the right fall decorations to adorn my porch! Though she and I giggled that the guys would probably never notice!
The entire evening was a blessing and the conversation among these Godly men around the dinner table blessed me far more than my efforts blessed them! (Although there was a lot of serious grubbin’ going on!)
I am here to tell you ladies, sometimes God just wants a willing heart, hardworking hands and the RIGHT attitude and God honoring fellowship occurs!
So, don’t put it off any longer, because of your “crazy cycle, oh no list” - invite someone over for dinner!
As the Creator and Senior Editor for MomLife Today I enjoy the opportunity to work with and meet some amazing people. MomLife Today is where my blogging career started and where my priorities are.
I invite you to join me over at MomLife Today to read my thoughts on the Chilean Mine disaster!
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