Farmer's Market

Mom and Dad were going to walk up to the farmer's market in the square today and popped in to see who wanted to come with.  There were lots of yummy and beautiful things to see.

My favorite part of the day was coming up to Dad while he was catching up with some former co-workers.  He was talking about my last year dealing with cancer and stopped to introduce me to one friend who was recently re-diagnosed with another brain tumor that she had removed and has treatments til the end of the month the second time around.

The other couple shared about their son-in-law who had to fight cancer only months after he was married.  Throughout the conversation I was energized by the interaction with this group.  What a blessing to meet three new people who have prayed for me before I had even met them because their hearts went out to me and my family. Let's not stop praying for one another!

As we said goodbye and headed toward home, I felt encouraged and thankful to God for giving me a small peek into the work He has done for me this past year.  That was when we caught up to Matt who had jumped off his bike to look close up at a caterpillar that was crawling across the sidewalk.  I love those moments of wonder when we try to figure out what kind of butterfly he might become and follow his path all the way into the grass.  Listening to the boys talk about how amazing it is that you can hardly see him in the green grass makes me smile. Life is priceless.

It was later this afternoon that I heard of two more people and their families who have recently been dealing with life altering situations.  There isn't an end to the praying we can do for one another. Life is priceless, don't waste a moment!

Friday From My Heart: Held

This week my daughter has been enjoying her new iPod. She has waited and waited as she has saved money over the past year to purchase it. She thought she would have to wait until her birthday in September to have enough money but she and her dad got online and found some very reasonably priced refurbished ones from Apple and she decided that a refurbished plain silver (not neon yellow) brand new one would work for her and be affordable now with what she had saved.

Anyway, she had to wait about six days for it to arrive and during that time she got on my iTunes account and picked out all the songs she wanted and made a "Stacey" playlist. When the iPod came she transferred them as quick as that and now every time she has a chore or has an opportunity, she is playing music. I have noticed that there are a few songs she likes to play on repeat (trying not to be jealous that she doesn't have to "rewind the cassette" like I did when I was her age!)

One of her favorites is Natalie Grant's song "Held". I love it too because it has such a great message. "This is what it means to be held and to know that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held". He says He is with us, not that it will always be sunshine and easy.  This isn't our home or what He planned for us.  Since hearing that song when it first came out I have felt that this is the foundation of understanding the sovereignty of God. To know that when the things that happen to us aren't explainable it is because God wants us to feel what it is like to not have any other option than to be held by His all powerful hands.

It isn't easy for sure. I have seen many times in my own life and lives of those I love when we have been held. For those who know Him, I have seen His peace that passes all understanding hold each one of His.  I have felt Him cry with me in my personal times of grief and loss.  Can I explain it? No, not to those who do not want to understand but those who do understand know and have been amazed what allowing Him to hold us will do. Personally, I have been blessed by His arms around me many times but more than that, have been surprised by how strong His arms make me seem to others who are observing. What glory it brings Him when I know and share that this is NOT me.

So many people these past couple weeks have been faced with deep loss. Not just in my circle, but on the social media sites, I have noticed many are asking for prayer for themselves or others they know. That is probably why this is on my heart this week.  It has seemed that a new tragedy has come up every other day lately and I have had many people in my prayers.  My prayer is for them is "Lord hold them, help them to feel You and not the bitterness".  No one here on this earth can take away that deep grief, but God can hold and strengthen families and bring a deeper picture of what this world is and how He holds His.

"If hope if born of suffering, if this is only the beginning. Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?"

A SWEET Ride!

Dawn came running into the kitchen before we left for gymnastics this morning and said that Grandpa had taken his"cool" car to work today!  

Right now there is road construction that starts on the road between our two houses.  Our driveway is open and theirs is closed.  Because of that, they are parking their cars in our garage until they can have access again to their own.

She was getting her breakfast and lunch together and saw him leave in his '63 Chevy.  He has been working on it the last couple of nights in the garage putting in the new carpet. 

After I dropped Dawn off at the gym and got back home, Dad called me from work.  He asked if it would be okay if he went to the gym at 1:00 and picked Dawn up because she has told him many times that she can't wait to ride in it.

What a fun surprise it would be for her to come out of practice to see Grandpa waiting for her (with his "cool" car)!  My only regret was that I wouldn't be there to see her face!

When they got home, as you can see, not much of the excitement had gone away!  Nothing like Grandpa to make a plain ordinary Thursday into a pretty special memory.

Mindcraft Bonding

These sisters are quite a pair!  Until the last month or so they have been at each other constantly.  Having a sister that is two minutes different in age but WORLDS away different than you in personality and temperament makes for quite an interesting dynamic in the smallest bedroom of the house.

I believe that summer has brought them together, or at least taught them a little bit more tolerance to each other.  We have been reminding them that they can either endure through this stage of life loudly (like they HAD been doing) or use their differences as training for getting along with others who are not the same as you.

There has been a lot more patience in their relationship lately and I am breathing a little easier.  A couple months ago I was wondering how I was going to get TO their teenage years, not to mention THROUGH their teenage years!  I think like any relationship they have their ups and downs.  Sometimes during those rough patches it is not easy as their mom to watch two people I utterly adore struggle so much with pre-teen drama and the mix up between what is important and what really isn't!

It was last week when we went to Barnes and Noble to use Zach's birthday gift card that Stacey found a "everything you need to know" about Mindcraft book and decided to buy it and make everyone pay for part of it.  They were all game when she showed them the book and I walked in the other night to the girls snuggled up together on the couch trying to figure out their next challenge.  Made me smile (and go grab my camera!)

Imagination Encouraged By Dad

You can't see very well and nothing that I took closer up turned out good. These are Dawn's Lego guys. She got onto Amazon and searched "Lego hair" and found out that they actually sell Lego hair. There were 5 or 6 Lego hair options for $9.99 or so.

Her dad told her no way was she going to spend that much on 5 or 6 snap on hair for her Lego guys.  He continued to explain to her that it was a rip off.  He suggested she find another way to style her Lego's hair, like maybe Play-do!

She loved that idea, and she was extremely proud of herself for getting all of the hair you see in this picture for FREE using the Play-do we already had!  And just look at all of the color options!  It's the only Lego hair that can be restyled.  It turned out to be an afternoon of imagination and fun!