tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47341783962766488112024-03-18T20:16:46.541-07:00Humble Obedience'Consider relationship supremely and possessions as nothing;
Reach for absolute unselfishness motivated by love.' -unknownChelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-20993112937506824352013-02-02T18:27:00.001-08:002013-02-02T18:29:47.299-08:00Doula Job in HAWAII<div style="text-align: center;">
SUNSHINE!!!</div>
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Heading out the door this week to visit my sis and brother-in-law in Kauai.</div>
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The real amazing story is that she is going to have a baby</div>
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and has asked me to be her doula!</div>
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I am humbled and pleased and thankful and excited and...</div>
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I get to enjoy a little sunshine too!</div>
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Dan is going too but kiddos are staying home.<br />
(We all went together 2 years ago)</div>
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We told them we were going and they were sad at first</div>
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until we told them they would be at our best friends house.</div>
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Suddenly they were almost as excited as if they were going with us!</div>
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Thank you Gunderson Family!</div>
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Speaking about Doula stuff, I am getting closer to my official certification.</div>
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I have to write some papers on my experiences</div>
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and what I've learned so far.</div>
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I will be working on that in Hawaii on the beach!</div>
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I haven't had a lot of time to just sit down to do it thus far.</div>
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(Obviously by the fact I hardly EVER post on here!)</div>
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(I want to do better)</div>
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Anyway, I'll try to update later but I can't promise anything!!!</div>
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Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-31583761781812590232012-04-12T18:07:00.000-07:002012-04-12T18:07:25.620-07:00Been Thinking of You<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I think of things to put on here and then don't simply sit down and share them.</span><br />
Today I just want to share a simple quote from Charles Spurgeon that I liked.<br />
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"Cultivate a cheerful disposition; endeavor, as much as lies in you, always to bear a smile about with you; recollect that this is as much a command of God as that one which says, “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart.” Let us take the pure gold of thankfulness and the jewels of praise and make them into another crown for the head of Jesus. When it is the Lord’s work in which we rejoice, we need not be afraid of being too glad. Cheerfulness is most becoming in Christian men. Contentment is the crown jewel of a happy life."<br />
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<i>I love it. Simply put.</i>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-56423620241438133302011-12-15T19:02:00.000-08:002011-12-15T20:12:25.370-08:00What is a DOULA?<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Well, this year I decided to follow through with a desire that I've had for years. I decided to pursue becoming a doula. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">I wanted to become a doula ever since my children were little but I had no time for it. Well, now our kids are a lot older and can function well on their own occasionally. So this year I decided to take the DONA certification class to become a doula! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">More and more people are employing doula's at their births because of several reasons. <b>First</b>, women want to have the best experience possible at their birth because a lot of people only have one or two tries at this. Giving birth is one of the biggest experiences of a woman's life and she wants it to be a positive one. <b>Second</b>, due to studies that have shown that cesarean rates are cut by 50% and epidural use by 60% when a doula is present, insurance companies are much more interested in paying part, if not all of the doula's fee. (Saves them thousands.) <b>Third</b>, more and more woman with the support of the medical community are learning that natural birth is the very best option for both mother and baby for long term recovery both physically and emotionally. (Baring special circumstances of course.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b>So what is a doula?</b> A lot of people have never heard the word 'doula' before. They have been around for centuries but not know much about in our society until more recently. The word 'doula' is Greek for 'woman servant'. She is a special kind of helper associated with childbirth. She doesn't deliver babies or do medical stuff but she helps the mother in other ways. It is hard work being in labor and having a calm, soothing person with you helps you to stay focused and cope with the experience better. A doula not only helps the mother stay focused emotionally but helps her labor. Some of the duties of a doula include; suggesting positions and changes to help labor progress, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">breath with the mother and help her focus during contractions, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">give massage, find pillows and blankets for comfort, help keep the atmosphere in the room calm and peaceful, hold her hand and remind how well she is doing, help her and her family understand the process and what is happening to her, help her communicate with hospital staff, keep her hydrated and cool/warm, encourage nursing when the baby is born, help her and her family process the birth.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">I had my first birth as a doula this last week and I did all those things with the mother. She did beautifully and labored long but went all the way without pain meds. Baby did great and was born after a 24 hour labor, healthy and strong. This woman's goals were accomplished!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Does this mean that if you have a doula you can't have pain meds or anything? Absolutely not! It's not about being superwoman and having a natural birth at all costs. <i>It's about having the very best possible experience and having peace about every decision made that day.</i> A lot of woman want to try to go 'as long as possible' but often get easily coerced into an epidural with the first suggestion. The goal is having someone help a mother think through the decision, make sure she is well informed and then support her in whatever the decision is. It never means a woman 'fails' if she gets an epidural or ends up with a cesarean. <i>It's all about the experience.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">For me, to serve a woman in one of the most amazing times in her life, then getting to witness a new life come into the world is beyond words! I'm looking forward to being a part of future births and hopefully helping mothers have a positive experience regardless of the circumstances.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-1647030831185903532011-09-08T09:11:00.000-07:002011-09-08T09:38:20.189-07:00Summer<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Summer has come and is about to go.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Most of the country had droughts but our neck of the woods, here in the Pacific Northwest had mostly rain.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It rained intil the end of July!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Here we are starting September and we still have some nice weather.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We also have smoke from forest fires and school is starting for most people.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We are NOT done with summer yet!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So we are going camping this weekend with our church and enjoying the weather for a few more days.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm not quite ready to start schooling yet anyway. I have my homeschool closet organized but not all of our curriculum or schedules put together.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My summer has been busy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My grandma moved.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My mom was in the hospital a few times.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We had house projects to complete including painting and rearranging rooms for the children, power washing the house (ok, only the driveway got powerwashed, the washer is still sitting in our back yard waiting to wash the house), cleaning out and organizing the garage, not to mention harvesting and canning produce from friends' gardens. (We have a tiny garden but just for small meals, not enough to put up.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We usually go camping and hiking and biking a lot in the summer but due to the weather we only went camping once at Diamond Lake. It was beautiful but cool and wet at times.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Good memories!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">We are going camping again which is perfect except I think we can't have camp fires because of the forest fires going on.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">It will still be good memories!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">Mostly this summer we have been blessed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I think my biggest blessing is my family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Our children are amazing, my husband is loving, sweet and funny, our home is peaceful.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">All of this because the Lord is in our life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Does that mean nothing bad will ever happen to us?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">No.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It is just that He is with us no matter what and if anything goes 'wrong' our Lord will sustain us through everything.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I trust Him to give me peace and strength through any storm.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Peter walked on water to Jesus in a storm.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">His only mistake was taking his eyes off of Jesus, concerned about the waves and storm and he began to sink.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Lord still held him.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This blog has been quiet too long.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm motivated to keep it updated but computer stuff, facebook and such just aren't a priority to me. Sometimes I wonder if it really matters what I put on here as only 8 people 'follow' this blog. I'm going to continue it because it is good for me to do. I may not be consistant but I will try.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>I have a feeling there will be a lot to blog about in the future.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-25590067411229800262011-02-08T21:18:00.000-08:002011-02-08T21:41:18.180-08:00One Year<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I can't believe it's been one whole year already!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This time last year we had just gotten back from Texas where Dan had a vasectomy reversal.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Since our journey began, I know of so many people who have gone through this recently.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(We have friends that are coming home <i>today</i> from Kentucky where she had a tubal reversal done.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm glad we obeyed in this and know that we are where we are suppose to be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b>There is an incredible peace that comes with it all!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My Gramma asked me today if we never got pregnant would my heart be broken.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I could honestly answer that it wouldn't.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I am so content with our children and feel so blessed by them.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">When we first desired children after a few years of marriage it was different.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I didn't have any children to hug or fill my mama's heart up.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I know the feeling of those who want a baby so bad that it almost hurts.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>I don't feel like that right now though.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I admit that when I see someone on the same journey as us, expecting twins, I wonder <i>just</i> a little.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(I've always wanted twins.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I also know that God will only give me what he knows I can handle.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I <i>trust</i> that he knows what is best for me so I don't stomp my foot and fuss about it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b>I am content and full of joy!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Joyful that I am blessed already and that my God loves me so much and he is in control!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>I trust Him.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-66511507953434511742011-01-22T14:20:00.000-08:002011-01-22T15:29:17.766-08:00HAWAII<div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UphOmPc4yu_IPu7b922ou2vjCSAlmtW-MHod89BwhyphenhyphenEOtSk6y5Wil4SlnMHmKO3YJYfRvIL1erPJCpoeG05_fgcYSIsNR0smEI5vw6UjoVygpiJ5sKL94a1O9_w3DXn7Z8TTROxPkiU/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UphOmPc4yu_IPu7b922ou2vjCSAlmtW-MHod89BwhyphenhyphenEOtSk6y5Wil4SlnMHmKO3YJYfRvIL1erPJCpoeG05_fgcYSIsNR0smEI5vw6UjoVygpiJ5sKL94a1O9_w3DXn7Z8TTROxPkiU/s320/IMG_0404.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565143476100063650" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What can one say about Hawaii?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Beautiful</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Refreshing</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Relaxing</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rejuvenating</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We probably had one of the best times together as a family.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">While home was freezing in the 20s we were basking in 80 degree weather in our shorts and swimsuits.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Truly wonderful.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Our family had two weeks of being constantly together. That isn't new for the children and I but to have Daddy with us all that time was. It really drew us all together even more.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was so struck by the beauty and natural splendor of the island.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We did a lot of things while we were there.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The first week we got to stay at a really nice resort.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8BVbycI2G22eM-WLDaOqO54VxAlr47c38KJOeUlclJfCDYGBqGEebl5wMdEIxvB21qHgRt6fp0q9o6M_qWJTSwdA6ZHPqDRtpJZ6G1nga_KXnjpxgJLT30Soo3rM_rBtpQsgpHSHFFtg/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565146165622186370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We swam...a lot</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHc4GDwpnftcVRF37kWbWV-BOnu4Jg8KAzQbrPZaYEnLnRmEY1DNaOa-XBIhYUwjhPks9UvNu3Lrah60LIAO_Na_gj8SmUKKPO5xPZei8ZfYwz0ATwckE99pS58tLclFxSyCQ4RVdZI3I/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHc4GDwpnftcVRF37kWbWV-BOnu4Jg8KAzQbrPZaYEnLnRmEY1DNaOa-XBIhYUwjhPks9UvNu3Lrah60LIAO_Na_gj8SmUKKPO5xPZei8ZfYwz0ATwckE99pS58tLclFxSyCQ4RVdZI3I/s320/IMG_0517.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565145504998829266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLq6dDjgOyjUCtgk7_294o4wBc7IFYJlO57NpOCWOKPRGJpbD8hvfZPqrmoLK4AUX2jeCU9Yc-LAyZvroHrJj9czXFXQRRd5jvOeyQPO26O4waYTGAJO1tiozgjVtJRttWFCn9R41d3s/s1600/IMG_0427.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLq6dDjgOyjUCtgk7_294o4wBc7IFYJlO57NpOCWOKPRGJpbD8hvfZPqrmoLK4AUX2jeCU9Yc-LAyZvroHrJj9czXFXQRRd5jvOeyQPO26O4waYTGAJO1tiozgjVtJRttWFCn9R41d3s/s320/IMG_0427.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565145500016517410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVinUox2RTxBqGYKEsf7t4Jyvt0vDJBZEh4_q932EQcMrCSFilNxp7R0zdM2Y_Q0fe5T0yl5gxNuBDgOPxxYZgVqhzbWcDjaNm3IzetRs586CK0rTuqVPkt7Ehey7bkwLDsQql1CtUuc/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVinUox2RTxBqGYKEsf7t4Jyvt0vDJBZEh4_q932EQcMrCSFilNxp7R0zdM2Y_Q0fe5T0yl5gxNuBDgOPxxYZgVqhzbWcDjaNm3IzetRs586CK0rTuqVPkt7Ehey7bkwLDsQql1CtUuc/s320/IMG_0382.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565145496059732930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDuNH8GYgBB2tpMe7idi0cfHwfew1i8hWakGSstigZsNdyC101k_x_9Z9bhSX1NR891nqV17gIFcTX94_RyNHIHZukqELlf9bCDg_clTM5P-lcg7u1zBoTjJv_mj55wI-Z1OWqPtTSdg/s320/IMG_0443.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149319967846658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We saw waterfalls</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnewWPQmtE-5Q-pnZcxYUMzx9cVQY2Ia-VuKViVRwdW-Y4U-IJ6TQQyuY8nIS7EKpjdZNiyBuc5ir5oH10i8B-SKPg0-ThnKcJPb2DyDH2I45QSt3tTn-_e3O9K2602hJokFBhyCatp3k/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnewWPQmtE-5Q-pnZcxYUMzx9cVQY2Ia-VuKViVRwdW-Y4U-IJ6TQQyuY8nIS7EKpjdZNiyBuc5ir5oH10i8B-SKPg0-ThnKcJPb2DyDH2I45QSt3tTn-_e3O9K2602hJokFBhyCatp3k/s320/IMG_0617.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565150033596112802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIrdG8bEyQ0BFFCzuxQsoF9kwGnTY2mGJDWKMl4Bib6_YuDoFQf06UMNs5qm8nYrIfd2qUzVn9qN_awz0hRExOwBYADD7CRxHy6RftK61rL0fMfqoljA64WihhhDC3GUppXACobeZn1Y/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIrdG8bEyQ0BFFCzuxQsoF9kwGnTY2mGJDWKMl4Bib6_YuDoFQf06UMNs5qm8nYrIfd2qUzVn9qN_awz0hRExOwBYADD7CRxHy6RftK61rL0fMfqoljA64WihhhDC3GUppXACobeZn1Y/s320/IMG_0622.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565150026034871394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Explored a cave</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcimtpBAQ_4-Em6Kl5Kqnm8KBAT0XAzc1JQEvRHqyIbluKzbfRYVbFIBzZfFYG7NY3-eDixkTNEKvxbQfNJ-9CrRlkmWyu0KbP6sKHoK8RhEwLixP0_MYgxR8YhTorgVGShxxVabJG-8/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcimtpBAQ_4-Em6Kl5Kqnm8KBAT0XAzc1JQEvRHqyIbluKzbfRYVbFIBzZfFYG7NY3-eDixkTNEKvxbQfNJ-9CrRlkmWyu0KbP6sKHoK8RhEwLixP0_MYgxR8YhTorgVGShxxVabJG-8/s320/IMG_0609.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149339256894434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Went to a lighthouse.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4LVHk6qR5ytOc0GyO6Pc_YgWmRVBlPfVKSBZ4y7hVPjj6lRnPhXmCzXmTTa5JVAoVszGyKIUxyO_rM8l78iPUfel6vnr_ww_vsk1WPpaWncJhRSYuWwR1y1KxxkmGrmj6_L0u4jAPhE/s1600/IMG_0577.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4LVHk6qR5ytOc0GyO6Pc_YgWmRVBlPfVKSBZ4y7hVPjj6lRnPhXmCzXmTTa5JVAoVszGyKIUxyO_rM8l78iPUfel6vnr_ww_vsk1WPpaWncJhRSYuWwR1y1KxxkmGrmj6_L0u4jAPhE/s320/IMG_0577.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565153337424537730" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7x5a-H18_Z2Nd4frYhhCegB1TdTNoalgKOTqz03KtXZdSHXKpLHodVPQejRRa2sX9GBIpmGa9kbP0Y9yE0S08xUsYxzqZLe2t-HBTGbYLfQF9fRHUMkDmZIh_qdrElRbZmpcxe8n5Y4/s1600/IMG_0587.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7x5a-H18_Z2Nd4frYhhCegB1TdTNoalgKOTqz03KtXZdSHXKpLHodVPQejRRa2sX9GBIpmGa9kbP0Y9yE0S08xUsYxzqZLe2t-HBTGbYLfQF9fRHUMkDmZIh_qdrElRbZmpcxe8n5Y4/s320/IMG_0587.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565153343372891250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4LVHk6qR5ytOc0GyO6Pc_YgWmRVBlPfVKSBZ4y7hVPjj6lRnPhXmCzXmTTa5JVAoVszGyKIUxyO_rM8l78iPUfel6vnr_ww_vsk1WPpaWncJhRSYuWwR1y1KxxkmGrmj6_L0u4jAPhE/s1600/IMG_0577.JPG"></a><div></div></div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-0NaJBswVqZjWSSXwb7oTdyfCFFzOIou5v-p27SxRBxZX8tUgCHFbSk4q5sHoL0FRjnHHMPo8iSKNnZIx7UG2FQy0f3ClG3PQO74ep3EfqVzGsbjSWv06Lc9QUDlBcvPth-rXVg-ZX8/s1600/IMG_0588.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-0NaJBswVqZjWSSXwb7oTdyfCFFzOIou5v-p27SxRBxZX8tUgCHFbSk4q5sHoL0FRjnHHMPo8iSKNnZIx7UG2FQy0f3ClG3PQO74ep3EfqVzGsbjSWv06Lc9QUDlBcvPth-rXVg-ZX8/s320/IMG_0588.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149332958935442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This is a coffee plant we saw at a coffee plantation.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecTkO0SGMQcqPeQoB8zStlZeJcgwzHOsM7dvQyfmIBsJe6GJ0fdKIjKLnwtIGoHXyJYBreLMUdpGyDX0GXuPUiCOZP25f6mjMcOFReNhtF1ogIN-d1vETvNRiF5UqonW79tMslO2ohFw/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecTkO0SGMQcqPeQoB8zStlZeJcgwzHOsM7dvQyfmIBsJe6GJ0fdKIjKLnwtIGoHXyJYBreLMUdpGyDX0GXuPUiCOZP25f6mjMcOFReNhtF1ogIN-d1vETvNRiF5UqonW79tMslO2ohFw/s320/IMG_0455.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149331762037586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Drove to the top of the mountains.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFtzXwN43u6CxELx55YdkY2mMakFJpCE5lzYaWTYLnd7cKOpcgDEfN5QyrYOlZElXRnNubFhOZ7p_V-ncEVkRmcj-VmkaLjFbWTuHv3Zw9PCR_rMtmey4N_HE4FXpYWSI9Ou2hKREJ04/s320/IMG_0410.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565148089226506962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XcYvxF3fDJxqxskUBfTPgHJDeJppH3bAgmlAu02F-AJQQw7H9bIoURAJSgUuEIS2e5OdYG34ScajsceSr5OihwCRu2u-7ttbT4bKYvNBQ2iyEfy4XMoibTvYxXeXeK-vRA4Vz04laqI/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XcYvxF3fDJxqxskUBfTPgHJDeJppH3bAgmlAu02F-AJQQw7H9bIoURAJSgUuEIS2e5OdYG34ScajsceSr5OihwCRu2u-7ttbT4bKYvNBQ2iyEfy4XMoibTvYxXeXeK-vRA4Vz04laqI/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149318194260482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_wrduv5K4NoMuSueVgmApc2KlDxNVm7wmff5NnS20uAH4lDXoG5Tj0ekAAl4AfKF-o_gneYR-Ia_0k9ivcwfimcZkZ4p58VOxO61US2gejb-0e_98kAh1A3YXNjuuwFnDhVkxRgE0kk/s1600/IMG_0527.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_wrduv5K4NoMuSueVgmApc2KlDxNVm7wmff5NnS20uAH4lDXoG5Tj0ekAAl4AfKF-o_gneYR-Ia_0k9ivcwfimcZkZ4p58VOxO61US2gejb-0e_98kAh1A3YXNjuuwFnDhVkxRgE0kk/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565148102684686418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Played at the beach.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTYNRskEpHM8ULrJ1GO_QTPqIDSp1jRYoH9V6baLPuT75YqHqKDHSRn9G8v6Gpf8SfwOzNBuuwzixrNYXG9RwAyKPyIt_lvAFEZoH39jUb_wkvFuZkjey2vMyHT1eKTe2UxTQnuuilnk/s320/IMG_0595.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565153344475081026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Sek1eGQ8Q0pbQd_kPBOJ1Bmdfa-TmZgqwW9nbq2B6C1vTyfirb3xsHWFAb_aejxrphza4KZxU3ThbAQjQMXiGTSD30NR8kTc3r1hXlZZqHZV3ltav14gbpHV8iGZSGcUS7-aOt8E0Zw/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Sek1eGQ8Q0pbQd_kPBOJ1Bmdfa-TmZgqwW9nbq2B6C1vTyfirb3xsHWFAb_aejxrphza4KZxU3ThbAQjQMXiGTSD30NR8kTc3r1hXlZZqHZV3ltav14gbpHV8iGZSGcUS7-aOt8E0Zw/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565148095609917106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Watched the sun set.</span></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfEkanwRqCwpFQV1aYt00cYWOlUmoptXsg31aUrvjFw5O5W2JBVut-LlrVqZ08ur_TjjkLyutdWYf_40EHLRuV3k7uBIIsFcSYFs5TlvWDt2OrAMG-rbFFth9cvWUYMzOLpgW73hFwlU/s1600/IMG_0496.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfEkanwRqCwpFQV1aYt00cYWOlUmoptXsg31aUrvjFw5O5W2JBVut-LlrVqZ08ur_TjjkLyutdWYf_40EHLRuV3k7uBIIsFcSYFs5TlvWDt2OrAMG-rbFFth9cvWUYMzOLpgW73hFwlU/s320/IMG_0496.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565148090343522226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We visited with Dan's brother and his family and got to experience the laid back lifestyle of the Hawaiians. We had such a great time but by the end of it all we were ready to come home. We missed our beds, our home, our friends and our family.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It was truly all a blessing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Now we are refreshed and ready to start back with school and our regular routines.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-51063919372423231522010-12-29T12:56:00.000-08:002010-12-29T13:03:42.359-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<p style="text-align: center;margin-left: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Gill Sans', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><i>The following is my Christmas letter and I thought I would share it on here.</i></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left;margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; "> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hoping this finds you all in good health, spiritually, physically and mentally. Our family is blessed. We are thankful for all of those things!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>From the outside, it may not look like it as Dan has had two surgeries this year. One back in February and another this November. He is healthy as a horse and has faired well in both cases.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Back in February, while recovering from surgery, Dan was hired at PGE. He had applied months previously, but God worked it out at just the right time. Dan now works as maintenance electrician on the dams along the Clackamas River. He loves working for them and they love him!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I continue to homeschool and be a keeper of my home. Juggling four school children's education, running the economy of our home and thinking of future plans is a full-time, yet very rewarding job. The Lord is faithful and has filled me with Joy, Peace and Patience for this role. There is no other place I would rather be!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The children keep growing right before our eyes! They will soon be passing me in height this next year. (Not hard since I am only 5'1 but their dad is 6'1.) We are involved as a family with our church and various activities. Apologetics class, dance/tap class, worship team and sewing circle, to name a few.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> Melody is 12 and loves to read! Naomi is 11 and is a reader also but loves to do crafts and serve others. Anna, 9 this month, also is finding a love of reading but her favorite thing is to be 'mommy' to her dolls. Finally, Jimmy turned 7 and is showing his creativity with building his Legos and making paper airplanes. They all are such a joy and a blessing to our family.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We are looking forward to the beginning of the new year as we will be visiting Dan's brother and his family in Hawaii. This is our first BIG family vacation anywhere. We usually do a lot of camping during the year and love it but have been blessed with this trip.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We are also looking forward to see what the Lord does in our lives this coming year. We are completely content with where He has us now, while learning always, to rely on Him daily. We are trusting Him for Wisdom in raising our children to affect generations to come. We want to be purposeful and prayerful, not just in parenting but in all our relationships.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in"> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>May you all find your Joy and Hope in the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One True Giver</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Gill Sans', sans-serif; font-size: large; ">blessings as we remember who the true Gift of Christmas is.</span></p> <p align="LEFT" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 0.01in; margin-right: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; "> <span style="font-family:Gill Sans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">With much love.</span></span></p>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-44581564572155087172010-11-21T22:39:00.000-08:002010-11-21T23:40:51.477-08:00A Dream Last Night<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I had a dream last night.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was in a room full of my friends.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They had all come to visit me and spend time with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As I looked around the room I noticed some were missing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I saw on the far side of the room three of my friends who were sitting with their backs to me working on computers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was a little saddened but said nothing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I walked down a hallway and saw three more friends on computers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was hurt because some of them had travelled far to visit yet would rather be on the computer.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I asked if they were going to join me for visiting and was put off with an</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">'Oh, yes, in just another minute we'll be there.'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">To be put off by dear friends that I loved really hurt.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Then I went to another place and saw three more friends.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The room they were in was kinda dark but I could see their faces because a blue light was reflecting on them.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It was the light of a TV they were watching.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I asked if they were coming.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Two of them didn't even notice I was talking but one barely glanced up enough to tell me,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">'No, we don't want to miss this show.'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I started to cry.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I cried so hard that it was hard to breath as I walked back to the room of all my waiting friends.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was so sad.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was hurt that these other friends of mine would choose to spend their time on the computer and TV and not with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I cried so hard in my dream that in real life I heard myself moaning in my sleep.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Then...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I awoke suddenly as I heard a gentle, love-filled, yet sorrowful voice quietly say...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><i>This is how <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><b>you</b></span> treat <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><b>me</b></span>.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Proverbs 10:17a</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-4737109775161931012010-11-13T10:09:00.000-08:002010-11-13T11:18:24.506-08:00Blessings<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This is the month of Thanksgiving.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I love November because it reminds me to count my blessings.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To quote Madame Blueberry from Veggie Tales,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"A happy heart is a thankful heart."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have much to be thankful for and I think the things I value most are relationships.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My relationship with the Lord,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My husband,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Our children,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My extended family,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My church family...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The list goes on.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiOMLsRJIFTVMHD4zZP_NFo2QUj2mMIqc0QFHGi9QQ4Z1-ZQqsHvDNMZhdi3qVNyR7lIBNgGkeKH1cAzNh8JRQ48_HJHMxqSZirdHhOEflGiZqW74J2nXZnORINfLf2Uaci-kTYQAg7Q/s320/IMG_0536_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539115575002770274" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I adore my husband and respect him in a way I never have before.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The thing that makes me giddy is that he </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;"><b>cherishes</b> m</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">e!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">It wasn't always that way so I am truly thankful.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">Dan was helping a friend haul some wood and ended up with a double hernia.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">The poor guy has been toughing it out for a couple weeks now and will have to have surgery next Friday.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">He's a trooper though.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">No complaints coming from him.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So we will be spending the Thanksgiving week low-key while he recovers.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm thankful to God that He gave Dan a new job this year that allows him to have paid time off, and that he can return to work on light duty.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Unlike <a href="http://humbleobedience.blogspot.com/2010/02/does-god-promise-things-to-be-easy.html">February</a>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As he goes into his second surgery this year,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am thinking of how thankful I am for Dan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He is hard working, loyal, faithful, focused and brings joy to others with his humor.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He balances me as I get too serious at times and I tend to get side tracked easily.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He is everything this woman wants in a man!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am blessed beyond measure!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So I have a heart full of thanks!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-44608143120792783772010-11-04T19:50:00.000-07:002010-11-04T20:05:17.234-07:00Here I am!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>CHANGE</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Who likes it?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I certainly don't.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When your friend informs you she is moving across the country.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When other dear friends decide to attend a different church.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When your husband comes home and tells you to do things differently.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When your body doesn't work as it use to.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When your children get taller than you.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Okay, it's not really that bad.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What about when the weather changes for the next season?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I love that!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The beautiful fall colors that the Master has painted.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The grand adventure my friend gets to have in a whole other state.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The new and improved schedule for my home that makes life function better.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The reminder that even though I am not so young, I can still be fit and healthy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The twinkle in my daughter's eye when we share an inside joke.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I was reminded last night that what we define as 'Good' may not be the same as what God defines it as.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Even though <i>change</i> is hard at times and it doesn't seem good at times,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know that all things work together for good for those who love God.</span></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-24051125646276650232010-08-20T15:44:00.000-07:002010-08-20T15:52:19.726-07:00New Beginning?<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So in order to keep a blog</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">One must continue to UPDATE said blog.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Do I do such a thing?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">No.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So I've decided to start anew and try to keep this updated.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have no 'news' as of yet</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">except the good news that our God is so great</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and we are always blessed!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We've had a full summer but I am going to purpose to blog at least once a week.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We'll see if I can follow through with that.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So for now I am just letting everyone know</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(that is if anyone even reads this anymore)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I don't do well on Face Book either.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I'm rarely on here but I want to connect with others somehow.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So here goes!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-30486971825006521182010-04-23T08:52:00.000-07:002010-04-23T09:34:28.756-07:00Fenelon -- Gentleness and Humility<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Francois Fenelon was a writer and archbishop of the 16th century.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">A dear friend gave me a Lamplighter book called</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">'Dialogues of Fenelon Vol.II"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It's a little book with just a page or two to read on something he wrote.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Today I was reading on Gentleness and Humility. I want to quote that page as it is very encouraging to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>'Your remedy for wandering thoughts and want of fervor will be to </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>set apart regular seasons for reading and prayer;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>to mix yourself up in outward matters only when it is necessary;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>and to attend more to softening the harshness of your judgment,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>to restraining your temper,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>and humbling your mind,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>than to upholding your opinion even when it is right;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>and, finally,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>to humble yourself whenever you find that an undue warmth concerning the affairs of others has led you to forget your supreme interest,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Eternity.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>"Learn of me," Jesus Christ says to you,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>"for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls."</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Be sure that grace,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>inward peace, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>and the blessing of the Holy Spirit will be with you,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>if you maintain gentleness and humility amid all your external perplexities.'</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Wow.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Blessings Friends!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-53120068233733501312010-03-16T11:54:00.000-07:002010-03-24T16:02:52.300-07:00Sunny Day!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today is a sunny day!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Literally!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">It finally feels like winter is over and spring has sprung!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Dan had his first day at his new job with PGE. He is so excited about it all. This could be the beginning of a very long career with them. That is the hope anyway.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">The first week or so is just orientations and safety classes and such. It will take a few months to be fully on board with how things work around there, but he is a sharp thinker and will get it down quickly.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">This is <i>the</i> dream job for Dan.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">So our question is 'Why would God want to prosper us?'</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I know that it pleases God to bring blessings to those who are his children. Just like I have joy in giving good gifts to my children.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">We don't <i>deserve</i> His blessings but we enjoy His blessings because he <i>loves</i> us.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">So why <i>would</i> God prosper us?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><b>To glorify Him!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i>This is true whether we prosper or not.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So....</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I've been convicted lately that I need to get out of my 'comfort zone' (<i>disobedience</i>).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Our home becomes a fortress when we use it to <i>avoid</i> contact with others.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I want my home to be an <i><b>embassy</b></i> that welcomes visitors and shares the Good News by sharing our lives with them.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I'm talking about </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><b>Hos</b>...<b>pi</b>...<b>tality</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I attended a conference this weekend and one of the areas I was challenged in was hospitality.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I learned that in hospitality, we show our love for God by how we love each other.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Romans 12:10-14</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Hospitality is an offering to God that we get to enjoy with others.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">1 Peter 4:8-9</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I love the idea of allowing our home to be worn out for Christ.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">It's to be used because it is an embassy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Hospitality is also a way to live like a missionary in your own home. Using it to reach out to strangers, neighbors, co-workers, friends and family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Building relationships and sharing your life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Do we need a big, perfect home?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Do we need to have perfect children or a wonderful marriage?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Does it have to be fancy food?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">No.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">If we wait for all those things to line up, we will never open our home!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">It's a humbling thing to do and it takes practice doing it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i>This is where I am.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I've grown over the last few years. I can make the main areas in my house look comfortable, but don't open the closet door or something might fall out on you. Keep my bedroom door shut because even though the bed might be made, the rest of the room is a cluttered, disorganized mess. And please ignore the other half of the 'play room' (<i>the garage</i>) because it actually looks like a messy garage.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">You have to be willing to be vulnerable to people seeing your clutter or disorganization. It's okay because having people over makes us look at these things in a new light and helps us to work on improving them. (They'll never be fully perfect but that's okay too.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">My house stays a lot cleaner when I have people over often.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">It has taken a little while, but I am starting to enjoy hospitality. I use to dread having people over because it meant work on my part. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">(<i>Shows you how lazy I am.</i>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Now I'm starting to enjoy it because it is good to share our lives with people and love on them.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Hospitality is not a big deal for some people as they thrive on having people over.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">I am learning from them and</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i>need reminding like this weekend.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Dan and I have a new vision for our family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">The starting of a new job is only an outward reminder of this fresh start.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">By His grace,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">and our humble obedience to Him,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">we will live to glorify God!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-91829521446127678002010-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:002010-03-04T21:34:29.177-08:00Crazyville<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That is all I can say about the past few days/weeks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I won't go into all the boring details of life around here.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">will</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> say that it has all been for our good!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The second week off from work for Dan proved to be Providential.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He realized quickly that he still needed to recover from the surgery as it is easy to over-do things. During that time he was able to get a FULL medical release from his doctor and return to work after only having two weeks off. He still had to take it easy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">During that 2nd week off, Dan got a call from PGE.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He's been trying to get hired by them for years. He sent yet another application to them a couple months ago. They finally called and said they were interested in him, when could he come in for a test? Well, he wasn't working at the moment so he went in and tested to see if he knew his stuff. The VERY NEXT DAY they called him again, he passed the test and they wanted to set up an interview. He interviewed a couple days later and we just heard yesterday that</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">THEY WANT TO HIRE HIM!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>We see all of this as God's perfect timing.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">First, what seemed like a bummer of having to take time off, was really so Dan could rest longer, he was able to test with PGE and eventually interview, and we learned some wonderful financial and faith lessons.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The timing of this job is perfect because the one he is currently on will be ending soon. The Lord has provided work all along for Dan and so he would have had more work if God wanted him to, but this is a great time for the transition. He won't be leaving anyone high and dry to move into the PGE job.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Our God is so Good!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He should be starting in a couple weeks after PGE does paperwork.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(I forgot to mention that Dan's job with PGE will be as a Dam Maintenance Electrician on the Clackamas River out in Estacada. He loves that kind of work.)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-49064532345154349112010-02-12T20:35:00.000-08:002010-02-12T22:15:20.626-08:00She Laughs At The Future<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Does God promise an easy and happy life?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NO!</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">~~~~~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After my first reactions of <i>doubt</i>, <i>fear</i> and a <i>little trembling</i>,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I can only <b>laugh!</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After a nice relaxing week of recovery,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dan was looking forward to getting back to work on Monday.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>Dan <i>won't</i> be returning to work on Monday as planned.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In fact, he might not be returning until March 5th if even that!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">He is recovering well and so that is not the issue</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The issue is that his work will not allow him back without a FULL doctor's work release.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Dr. had originally faxed a work release to return on Monday doing light duty. That means no pulling, tugging, pushing or lifting heavy loads over 20 pounds. It originally included climbing ladders but the Dr. revised it because Dan and he had talked about being safe and not undoing the surgery. Dan is an electrician, which can be a heavy labor job. The current project he is working on has a lot of work that he can do for the next few weeks that is not labor intensive but he would be on the ladder a lot.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">His company won't take him back at this point because they don't want to be held liable for any injury to the surgery site. (They won't hesitate to get a guy back on light duty as soon as possible when he's had an on-the-job injury because the company's insurance won't pay for the guy to be off work for too long and will make their premiums go up.) Dan's issue was an elective surgery so they don't want to deal with him at this point.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If he is off work for the next few weeks, who's to say they will even hold on to him after that?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We won't know for sure until next week.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Did we plan on Dan taking a month off from work, <i>unpaid</i>?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">No.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Is this going to be a <i>huge</i> financial struggle?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Do we put our <i>trust</i> in employment or income?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">No.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">We put our trust in <i>God</i> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">alone</span>.</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My false security in Dan always having a job was shaken today.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">~~Good!~~</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There are so many worse things that could be going on.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>It's all about perspective.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mainly, I know God has a plan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I know that this is for our good and His glory.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What's going to happen?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Only He knows!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I will cling to Him because I know He will provide all our needs.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We have acted in obedience to Him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>He leads the humble in what is right,</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>and teaches the humble his way.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Ps. 25:9</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Delight yourself in the Lord,</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>and he will give you the desires of your heart.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Commit your way to the Lord;</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>trust in him, and he will act.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Ps. 37:4-5</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>I will bless the Lord at all times;</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>his praise shall continually be in my mouth.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Ps. 34:1,8</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">~~~~~</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Do you see why I am laughing?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am laughing because I can't wait to see what God is going to do!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">I am laughing because my God is in control and I trust Him!!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; ">I am laughing because I have peace that goes beyond all understanding!!</span></span></span></span></div></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am laughing...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">because...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>even though life is uncertain...</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> I...have...JOY!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-69170794772221160832010-02-07T21:12:00.000-08:002010-02-07T22:47:42.086-08:00There and Back Again<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I can't believe we've been there and are back already!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The trip was fast.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The way it all worked out, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We left on Thursday,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Surgery on Friday,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Home on Saturday!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(This is a view from our hotel of San Antonio at night.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjqOoPVyUQzkGqjUyPp9kcGurA4mI794rQooE5CCyNBysrCf42nA9tVhduC35OwQ_UuJKiyyMeqw1IFjfDX_A8qZgYwKaUxHoWXEDGOxBVdQvxMJiBl9h_dRPZoPGZVJiHKC_Zz7U_vQ/s320/IMG_1498.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435749354858291746" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We saw the Alamo and enjoyed the beautiful River Walk.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStKzqgoQ2WO6wSDPxHLUU0N_rSqdsTvIq-OneJnHl7mfxcy4eiLtLXz2Kbb5bPfjQz9nEERLGIjNeh3b8GmgQA5GbZxRCT2AzvTjQk9gqFscUb9s6Aq2isvWEG0N08Y4fYm8QN6YXdjs/s320/IMG_1489.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435748035205659602" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoK_oC3kZ9hnrydLxCAGwtQXDhFP2RfgHYn744UoPKHGMQOwGfr-eR_LgfNNlbNOdtVmcahgmd8Y3MNE-lOIVmoCf6xNvRzbctltxkJkg25quFgfDKrNXI8OBM3g5Qcw0iCI1yt3m9J0/s320/IMG_1484.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435748042180591202" /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(It happened to be cold and rainy the first day there.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>Did I mention BBQ?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">You've never had real BBQ until you've had <b>Texan</b> BBQ!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Texan's are very proud of their portion sizes of food and drink, too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We certainly didn't starve while we were there!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">It was great!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;"><b>And guns</b>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Everyone seemed to have one strapped to their leg!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(Okay, not everyone, but I saw more guns in the open <i>on</i> people in one day than I've seen in my whole lifetime! <i>I must not get out much!</i>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I think the t-shirt I saw that said 'Texan's don't dial 911' and had a picture of a gun on it, was not far from the truth! Pretty crazy for an Oregon Northerner who lives where the SWAT team is called in and the schools are put in lock down when a second grader pulls out a rubber band gun. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"> (No exaggeration! It happened just last week!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Something else interesting about our short stay in Texas was <b>the people</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">They are SO nice!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I had not experienced Southern anything before and that's the first thing we noticed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">People went out of their way to be polite and helpful and initiate conversation!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I don't want to knock my fellow Oregonians, but I think we could learn a few things from our Southern neighbors. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Eye contact and a friendly 'hello' go a long way!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The last night we were there, the state wide cheerleading camp came to town so there were little cheerleaders all over the place! It looked like 1st through 8th grade. We were told that the high schoolers had already been through the week before. Our hotel had rented 190 rooms out to them and that was just one of many hotels. So the place was crawling with them!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Texas was a nice place to visit but it was SO refreshing to come back to my </i><b>green</b><i> native home.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>I also missed my children.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>They missed us too!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLlTOQ02A_zt2xSCRRbiBI4Og5t7SS0FMpugT2rtDUxoErMXOIyzT1BNEPK7zl33rhco4QoeOCS9_3tJpoUldP-BwOwGs_OSdlbNCqJuQDtgDFXlFZLYBNeDaGiqVeqcmOwI_0RZ7uwE/s1600-h/IMG_1520.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLlTOQ02A_zt2xSCRRbiBI4Og5t7SS0FMpugT2rtDUxoErMXOIyzT1BNEPK7zl33rhco4QoeOCS9_3tJpoUldP-BwOwGs_OSdlbNCqJuQDtgDFXlFZLYBNeDaGiqVeqcmOwI_0RZ7uwE/s320/IMG_1520.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435752391207456114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">The surgery went well and Dan did great!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I'm proud of that guy!.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It was a little over two hours long and I got to watch the whole thing and ask questions.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It's quite fascinating how God has made our bodies!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Today we enjoyed home church, praising God for an uneventful trip, a good surgery and a delightful reunion with our family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">Dan is taking this week off from work so he doesn't over do it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He gets sore easily right now so I'm glad he'll be home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I read this scripture today and it sums up this whole adventure so far.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Delight yourself in the Lord,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>and he will give you the desires of your heart.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Commit your way to the Lord;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>trust in him, and he will act.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Ps. 37:4,5</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thanks for the many prayers, y'all!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-49348617155139060232010-02-01T08:33:00.000-08:002010-02-01T08:46:35.524-08:00WE'RE GOING!<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I just realized that my last post was lost.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>We are leaving <i>this</i> week for the surgery!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The children will stay with some dear friends of ours and then we will be on a plane first thing Thursday morning for San Antonio. The surgery is Friday and we'll come home Saturday.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We found that it is way less expensive to go down south than to have it done locally.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">There are a couple doctors who do reversals as a ministry and so a lot of the regular costs are cut out. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan will take the following week off from work because he can't lift more than 10 pounds that first week. Then he just has to take it easy at work for the week after. After that? Well...the Lord will decide what happens next. We leave it <b>all</b> to Him!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We are SO excited!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I don't know if we'll get to see much while we are down there. We'll be staying right by the Alamo and the Riverwalk so I'm sure we'll enjoy our time somewhat. Dan nor I have ever been to Texas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>Thank you for all your prayers!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-24603119443289445532010-01-25T07:42:00.000-08:002010-01-26T14:17:43.247-08:00So Now What?<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b>So we lost our zeal for adoption.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Now what?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Just before Christmas, Dan and I found ourselves at our favorite Thai food restaurant on an unexpected date together. As we were enjoying our food we started to discuss where we were in the adoption process. We both agreed that we had lost our zeal for adopting through the state. Neither of us had a heart for overseas adoptions either. His comment was, '<i>If we're going to spend a bunch of money on an adoption for one kid, why don't we just get a reversal instead.</i>'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Um, <b>REVERSAL</b>?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Really?</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(I'm thinking I can't believe he is really saying this!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We talked about it, and decided to pray about it some more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Just around New Years the conclusion is...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">YES!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Okay, now this didn't just come over night.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Like I said before, all along I have felt we are missing someone. Dan has done the same thing a few times too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>I realized that this is spiritual thing too.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(I might step on people's toes here. I don't mean to. I just want to share my<i> own </i>journey on this. It doesn't apply to anyone but me. What ever you might think of it is between you and God. This whole blog is my own experience and my feelings concerning it.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Now that the disclaimer is out of the way I want to share what has been happening.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Wouldn't it be just like the enemy of our souls to try to discourage us, especially when we are on the brink of obeying God on a major issue in our life?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">All these things started happening around us.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Late one night I parked in the wrong spot at my mom's apartment complex. I didn't have the right 'sticker' to park there. My other car had it but not the one I was using. (Dan's) A very frustrating $322 tow fee later that included taking a ride with 'Shawn' the tow truck driver into a very dark and scary tow yard to retrieve Dan's car and made me an hour late picking up my poor mom from the airport, was all very upsetting.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"> (<i>panting heavily from saying all that in one sentence!</i>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"> I was feeling bad that Dan's hard earned money had to go to 'those really friendly business men'. (I could use another word to describe them but don't want to hurt any tow truck drivers feelings. I don't use bad words but I was thinking of a certain kind of bird that begins with a V.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Never mind. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Moving on!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Then a couple days later Dan is called on the carpet at work for a safety technicality that could cost him his job.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">After that I was cleaning up from the holidays and went through some papers and found a jury duty summons for Dan that he was suppose to serve the week BEFORE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Great! Not only did he almost lose his job, I got his car towed and now I'm going to have the poor guy arrested because I forgot to tell him way back in November that he had jury duty the first week of the New Year!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">WOW!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">You know, through <i>all</i> of this we put our trust in God alone.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(Not in employment, or money nor anything else.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Jury duty...well, he'll just be served a summons again and he'll serve then.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The car...it could have been worse. It could have been stolen or wrecked. That equals paying for a new car plus recovering from possible injuries. <i>Or</i> I could have gotten a nasty ticket which includes increased insurance and a bad mark on your record. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>It could have been a worse night.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">His job...well, not only did he <i>not</i> get fired but was put on a committee to report examples of the new safety code from working in the field. The code was so vague that they needed people to understand with examples. Also, his forman was sure to say that if people had to be let go on the crew, Dan was to be absolute last to go. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He has work for the next few months plus found favor in the eyes of his superiors!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Our God is GOOD!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">What ever might have been meant to discourage us turned out for our good.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>It was a chance to rely even more on our Father in Heaven.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(Regardless of the outcome.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>He is in control</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">That is how we are looking at this whole thing.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I would love more children in our life. They are a blessing and a heritage from the Lord.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Why would we cut God's blessings off?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Whether God allows anymore children or not,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>I trust Him</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I just want to be obeying Him no matter what.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We sinned by not regarding God in our decision to have a vasectomy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We want to undo the wrong by making it right.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan said he is going to get 'Fixed'.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(He was broken before.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><div>'<i>Jesus does not hang desires in front of us without showing us how he wants us to get there. These words are water to a thirsty soul that wants <b>true righteousness</b>, but how do we get there? It comes by being <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">submitted to God</span> in the power of the resurrection. </i></div><div><i><b>You</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">can't</span> do it.</i></div><div><i><b>He</b> will do it.</i>'</div><div><i>-Jim Schmitt-</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>We desire true righteousness through submission and humble obedience to our God and Savior, for <i>His</i> glory!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-20232542017990909022010-01-21T14:39:00.000-08:002010-01-25T07:40:43.519-08:00Cheyanne<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So I mentioned in an earlier post that I realized we were missing someone in our family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I would do my regular head count in public to make sure we had everyone.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>One, two, three, four....</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Oh ya, we only have four.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>I was always looking for someone else.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">This feeling was very overwhelming at times.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Then we met some dear friends who were in the process of an international adoption. I started wondering if we might consider adoption. We had talked about it briefly when we only had our first two children. A cousin's children were possibly going to need a permanent home. They ended up with their mother which was fine with us, but I knew that Dan had been open to it back then. <i>Back then</i>, we only had two children, but now we have four. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">What would he think <i>now</i>?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I didn't want to influence him about adopting beca</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">use I didn't want to push for something that wasn't suppose to be. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>(La</i><i>dies, we have a powerful influence that we have to be careful of.)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">So I prayed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I prayed that if this was something we needed to pursue, then would God please move my husband that way. Otherwise, I asked for contentment and that God would remove any desire for more children.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Little did I know that Dan was thinking the same thing! He wasn't sure how to bring it up to me because I would be home with them the most.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b>All that to say, we decided we should pursue adoption.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We decided to go through the state to adopt foster children. It is the least expensive and I felt a connection to foster children because my brother and I were both fostered as children.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(He with the state and I with family.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I ran into an old acquaintance who just started fostering her infant granddaughter. She told me the child would be going up for adoption eventually. I mentioned we were working on our home study to adopt.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">That started a long relationship.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">She was a single women in her early 60's, so she asked me if we would do respite care for the baby. (Basically babysit for free that included a weekly overnight stay.) Dan and I discussed it and said <i>yes</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i></i><b>So our family was introduced to baby Cheyanne.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We got to spend a lot of time with Cheyanne. We all fell in love with her. We got to see many of her 'firsts' because we started being involved with her when she was only three months old.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">During this time or home study was finished and we started sending it in for many different children to be considered for adoption. We hoped we would be able to adopt Cheyanne but the way the state works, it's not a guarantee. We just put our faith in God, that he would bring just the right child into our home. We wanted Cheyanne in our family but only if God wanted it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">After being closely involved with Cheyanne for 11 months, our family was considered with two other families before a committee of state workers. The other families didn't know her but had been chosen for consideration by her case worker.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Regardless of our history with her, we weren't chosen to be the adoptive family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">That...was...hard.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It's still a little painful to talk about it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We were never chosen to go to a committee for any other children either.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">This all occurred over the last two years. Our home study expired a few months ago and we have let it sit there. We could renew it anytime but we just aren't sure if that is what we are suppose to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Ultimately, I don't feel that our time was wasted.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I was sad to say goodbye to Cheyanne but a little relieved too. I felt a peace about the whole thing. I knew we hadn't been chosen to raise her because that wasn't God's plan for her or us. We were allowed those 11 months with her and that was very important.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>I have to say, though, that this little girl took a piece of our hearts with her.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlaIV6GQyv7ik0fqS9z6-TdohWHyAm0TXprwZRfkR3aoPdmEGNIIPiGAwkiYq1-s49JuDRmnwRobn792tlvCPnxp_hb3lD8_bVtJQ4-AE21HjnIhT0EA_Bwv5nZ0pdK8M2O87zsfbTQg/s320/IMG_0722.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430701411624631842" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">This time was a faith building, family bonding time for <i>all</i> of us.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">I was amazed to see my oldest, who was 10 at the time, grow in her faith so much. Don't be nervous when your children pray for something that you aren't sure of the outcome. Regardless of the answer, God will grow that child's faith. I use to be scared when my little girl asked for more babies in our house, because at the time, we weren't going to have anymore. I didn't want her to be 'disappointed' because God hadn't answered her the way she wanted. He did answer her prayer in Cheyanne. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">Faith like a child is so much different then ours.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">It is innocent. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">Trusting the Father to answer and allowing Him to heal when it isn't what we thought it should be. It doesn't shake a fist at Him.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">We are all called to such a faith.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-90705645469518757892010-01-21T14:31:00.001-08:002010-01-21T14:34:01.449-08:00New Dan<div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Then the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">new </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Dan showed up.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Things changed drastically.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">First, everything was put to the side. The computer, his hobbies, his guitar and even us for a time. It was like he had some catch up time to do with God. He would come home from work and sit down in his chair and READ HIS BIBLE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He would read for <b>hours</b>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I kept thinking...'<i>Who are you and what have you done with my husband?</i>'</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He started memorizing chapters of scripture, listening to sermons from the web and teaching himself Greek. (He wanted to make sure for himself, that the Bible he was reading was an accurate interpretation of the original scriptures.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">All these things, like scales, started falling off around him. The internet (covetousness for materialism) lost it's hold. He softened toward myself and the children. He saw us as a joy more than an annoyance. Hobbies no longer held any appeal. He started seeing things a whole new way.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He started talking. TALKING! He had something to say! He had so much to tell me about what God was doing, how he was feeling and what he was learning.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He saw how he wanted to be a better father and be purposeful in raising our children. He wanted to lead our family and not just let me take the main responsibility for their character and spiritual training.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">WOW!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">WOW!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He had heard a sermon from Paul Washer on courtship. He and I talked about how we didn't want our kids to date when they were older because of all the traps that one can easily fall into while dating. Our church of 6000 families didn't have a general teaching or thinking about biblical courtship so we didn't know any like-minded families.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">So we prayed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">(Did you hear that? We prayed TOGETHER!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We prayed for God to bring other families into our life that would be on the same track on raising children. Raising children to become adults who are on fire for Christ! Other families who were serious about spiritual growth and spreading the gospel.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Shortly after that, we left the church we had attended together for 15 years and started going to a little church of homeschool families. These families not only were like-minded in raising children, they also really encouraged the men to be leaders and disciplers in their own homes. This was a place that the church is very focused on seeking God in all things and equiping people to obey and follow Him.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Believe it or not, my dear, sweet, quiet husband, who normally didn't have much to say to anyone got to a point that he was actually PREACHING some of the sermons!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Yes!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Talking in front of about 100 people!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Not just <i>talking</i>, but teaching and preaching from God's word!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I...was...AMAZED!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Thankful!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Full of joy!</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-large;">And I am head over heals for this MAN!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-31133978970847392112010-01-21T12:11:00.000-08:002010-01-21T14:31:02.628-08:00Old Dan<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Okay.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">A little history about my man.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan is a steady guy. He only takes command when he needs to but his personality likes others to be in charge. He is really sharp and loves working with his hands. He is very efficient but doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. He's also very funny. He always looks on the bright side and rarely complains. Everybody likes him because he has a mellow, laid-back personality and gets along with everyone. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan and I met at age 18, just after high school. He was shy, introverted but very funny. He liked to make people laugh. He had grown up in a Christian home but had made some poor choices during high school. He had just started going back to church when we met.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We got married a couple years later and attended church together. We were involved in the small groups and faithfully attended every week. We tithed regularly and eventually got involved in some of the different ministries. He is an excellent guitar player and so he played on the worship team. We also helped in the Sunday School classes as well. On the outside, we looked like a normal, Christian Evangelical, middle class family. We were generally happy but not blissfully so.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan wasn't a spiritual leader at home. We prayed at meal times and bed times with the kids but never together as a couple. We had no family devotions or spiritual talks on what God was doing in our lives. He wouldn't engage that way with us. Typically he would come home, play his guitar, do some hobby and serf the web for more guitar parts or hobby stuff. We rarely talked about what was taught at church and I don't remember ever seeing him read his Bible.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Don't get me wrong. Dan was and is a wonderful father and husband. He loves his kids and likes me a lot too. ;) We were just kids growing up together and learning a lot along the way. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Both of us had a lot of maturing to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I like to say that the <i>old</i> Dan only read two books. His guitar book (with lots of pictures) and his electrical codes book. (He's an electrician.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-47949612926346218962010-01-19T15:52:00.000-08:002010-01-19T16:50:36.985-08:00History<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">About a year before Dan's miraculous heart change, I started having some new thoughts about stuff. I'm an analyzer so I really thought about what was happening but it probably took several months to fully wash out.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">First, I felt that we might not be in the right church.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Up to that point, I had never had any thought of leaving. (We'd been there since before we were married.) Our church was getting so huge, though, that I felt very disconnected with our children. We would walk in the doors and say 'good bye' for three hours. (We often stayed for two services.) I started seeing attitudes I didn't like. Not from the church itself but from the children my kids were hanging with. I also realized that they really only got maybe a total of 30 minutes of 'real' teaching in those three hours. I tried to point some of these things out to Dan but he couldn't see it. He was playing on the worship team at least once a month and was loving it. I once suggested we go visit another church. His response was, 'We're never leaving (this church) so we aren't going to go looking at other churches.'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">PERIOD</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Okay!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">I didn't want to be spiritually wise in my own eyes. That was Eve's sin and curse. I was going to submit to his decision without grumbling.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">So I prayed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">First I prayed for contentment.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">That God would help me do my best with our children's attitudes and hearts. (Dan had not had his heart change at this point, so was not leading our family spiritually at home.) I had them all week at home so we would work on it then.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Next I prayed for godly spiritual men to be brought into my man's life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan got involved with a mentorship program through the church for the older men to encourage and disciple the younger men. (He being the younger.) On the outside it looked great. Problem was, the few truly godly men were so spread thin that they barely had time for anyone! These men were awesome but to be a part of someone's life, it takes more than a 30-60 minute appointment once a month.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I could see that wasn't working as well as I thought.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Finally I just prayed a simple prayer.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>'God, please just give Dan a vision for our family. I don't have a clue what it looks like, only you do. Help me to obey whatever you bring into our lives and be content with however things turn out. I love Dan so much, and even though I know he could be capable of so much more, help me to be content with who he is NOW and not compare him with anyone else. Help me to be the wife you call me to be and give him the respect you ask of me.'</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Talk about peace!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Wow!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It was like I got permission to sit back and watch what God would do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Something else was moving on my heart at the same time.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I thought we needed a puppy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan... 'Absolutely not.'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Lots of work, messy, stinky, shedding, not to mention we have a kid allergic.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He had a point.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I realized that I was missing a little baby.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">My youngest was almost four and my arms felt empty. I knew we couldn't have anymore so I started thinking of alternatives.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">First I suggested that I do day care. Extra money, can send them home at night. Sounded good to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan... 'I'm thinking no. How are you going to home school with a little one crawling around?'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Okay.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Lord, help me be content and take this desire away or move my husbands heart in some direction.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I really started feeling like we were missing someone in our family but I didn't know why.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Then came Dan's major heart change with the Lord</span>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(Obviously this is a pivotal point in our life.)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734178396276648811.post-60589018866061004732010-01-19T15:07:00.000-08:002010-01-19T15:52:10.618-08:00Here we go!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I've been encouraged to begin this blog to keep account of what God has been doing in my life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">So here I am.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">The journey began some time ago.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Actually, Dan and I got married almost 15 years ago.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">When we talked about having children I said I wanted three or four.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I had one sibling growing up and only part of the time.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Dan, coming from a family of four children, said, 'What? Three or four kids? There won't be any food in the house!'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I wasn't too worried about food.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I was thinking eternal beings. Children that are a gift from the Lord.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Fast forward.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We were married 3 years when our first treasure came.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Within five years, all four of our little lambs had been born.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Three girls and a boy. We were done!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>So we thought.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He went just after the fourth one was born and had a vasectomy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Everyone said that was a great idea because we have so many children already. We thought our family was big and we didn't want any more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">We <i>are</i> so blessed! I love these guys so much.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">They are such a joy. I never imagined that I would be a stay-home mom</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">of four wonderful people that I get to home school too!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">I love it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Fast forward again.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Two years ago, my husband had a huge heart change.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>With the Lord.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He was no longer a 'Sunday Christian' that faithfully attended church but looked no different from the world during the week.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Suddenly he had a hunger and thirst for God and His word that I had never seen before!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">His whole attitude changed in every aspect of his life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He has always been a likable guy but now...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Now he is so on FIRE it is amazing to see!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">He has become more of a man.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">My respect and admiration for him only continues to grow.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Just when I think I can't be any more attracted to him, I suddenly realize...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"> I am!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">What makes him so much more attractive?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It's the Light of Jesus reflecting from his life!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">It's amazing!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><i>Can you tell I'm excited about all of this?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995627868386220094noreply@blogger.com0