a first for everything

On Monday, my heart walked out my door in blue tennis shoes and a red backpack.  

And I'm still trying to learn how to cope without it.

I expected him to cry, but of course, I'm the one that can't seem to hold the tears back.

I now know what the Bible means when it says to pray constantly.  From the moment I leave his classroom in the morning until I return in the afternoon, I am praying.  

If I could have my way, I would homeschool my little boy.  But this year it is not an option for our family and I'm trying to be okay with that.  I'm really trying.  It helps that he has a wonderful teacher.  I am praising God for that answered prayer!

Now we're nearing the end of this week, with a surprisingly smooth transition.  Every morning, he has gone willingly.  And the few stories I can creatively extract from him are mostly positive.  I can tell it's been a huge adjustment, though, and I find myself lingering in his room after he is asleep, whispering prayers, and wiping warm tears from my eyes.

I'm taking lessons, too, in learning to trust my God.

blogging for hope

Today I am here:

Blogging for Hope for Women Magazine  and talking about "surveying our homes".

today and a winner

bounty from my flower garden

I feel like the vase in my picture.  Brimming with promises.  Overflowing with life.  Precariously holding it all together.  


God is bringing dreams to my doorstep, all neatly packaged and smelling like heaven.  Like a child, I'm eager for it all.  And He smiles into my giddy face, my excitment only mirroring His own.

"Do you trust my love for you?", again He asks and I remember the first time I heard this question from my Father.  When the dreams felt so distant...   He had asked me then to trust Him.  How God must burst  with the secrets He longs to tell us!

It was only a few weeks ago I felt my future was in limbo.  I was clinging to the promises of God.  I knew what my husband and I were called to do, but I didn't see it happening any time soon.  I found a treasure of wisdom in this quote,

"Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person's seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next." ~ Elisabeth Elliot

My prayer has become, "God, show me what you desire for me to do this day.  However small, however big, give me the grace to do it."

And He is.  And He will!  He gives grace!  His dreams prevail.

Our family is on a new journey.  God has opened a door for us to do what we love.  We have been given an opportunity to serve the youth in our city as youth pastors at our church.  And we're beyond excited!  Our hearts have always been in youth ministry, ever since we served as youth pastors several years ago and we feel so blessed to be doing it again!  God is burdening us for this city, for the teens, for the hurting, for the needy.  We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus!  He's giving us big visions and big dreams and we know only He can accomplish them.    We're just trying to find that perfect place of balance that God wants us to live in, cherishing our family time, while working part-time with the church and in our business.  God is leading the way!

I hope that explains why I've been a little absent lately.  That and the fact that my little boy just started kindergarten this week.  Which is a whole post in itself!  It's one my heart is still trying to work through.  I promise I'll post it soon!


AND....
It's finally time to announce the winner of the tukula giveaway!  Thank you for your patience with me, sweet friends!  And can I also thank you for sending love and prayers to this wonderful ministry!

Keep them in your hearts!

And the lovely lady that I will be sending a tukula bag to...

Danielle from Diamond Desire

"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."  {1 John 3: 18}

watermelon fields

Out In The Fields With God

by Louise Imogen Guiney

The little cares that fretted me,

I lost them yesterday,

Among the fields above the sea,

Among the winds at play,

Among the lowing of the herds,

The rustling of the trees,

Among the singing of the birds,

The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what might pass,

I cast them all away,

Among the clover-scented grass,

Among the new-mown hay,

Among the hushing of the corn

Where drowsy poppies nod, 

Where ill thoughts die and good are born--

Out in the fields with God.

Across the street from our house, lies this shady green field.  It does it's best to shelter from the heat, but Louisiana summers are hotter than a hornet's nest.  The kids run and play, while I sit panting in the shade.  I'm forced to be still.  No folding laundry or cleaning the kitchen.  Just sitting and watching, and playing and dreaming.  I've learned to love our hot little picnics.  I don't miss the distractions.  I relish the simplicity.  There God does the talking and I do the listening.

apronista

I received the most wonderful gift in the mail last week!  I won this darling anthropologie apron and these white rosebud earrings from a Twig giveaway.  And they are exquisite.  I love Twig.  Janna, the cute little gal behind this delightfully creative blog that's brimming with vintage eye candy, is so much fun and so inventive.  I've always wanted an adorable apron to make cooking and cleaning seem just a little bit more glamorous (smile) and maybe even inspire me to bake homemade pies and luscious layered cakes (another smile).  Well, so far, it hasn't magically turned me into baking connoisseur, but I did whip up some mean pancakes with sprinkles this morning.  Does that count?

Can you tell I've enjoyed wearing it?  

Yep, I had a grand time modeling in my mod apron, thankful for any excuse to ignore my laundry load the size of Mount Rushmore.  Wait, didn't I mention laundry in my last post as well?  I must admit, I am having trouble forgiving Eve.  If not for her, we'd have no need for clothes.  And life would be so much easier!!

P.S.  I do have several little secrets to tell you that I am dying to spill, but I can't let the cat out of the bag just yet!  

P.S. #2  And no, I'm not expecting.  : )

P.S. #3  Do check out my tukula giveaway!  And for all of you who have, I think you're wonderful!