Joyful in Trials

Image via Barry Skeates/Flickr

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.

James 1:2

Have you ever had one of those days (or perhaps more then one *wink*), where you feel overwhelmed and frustrated? I know I have!

Josiah has been teething and is cranky. He only wants to be held and screams LOUDLY and angrily!

I prayed to have more patience and God has answered!...Now my 2 year old is pushing the boundaries even more the past few days. She is constantly whining and wanting my attention. Ha! God is trying to teach me patience through her. *smile*

My oldest spills a mess on the freshly cleaned floor. I want to scream!!

Then I remember, James 1:2. I am to find JOY in all my trials. I don't know about you, but when I hear the word trial, I think of BIG trials, not "little" trials. But God doesn't say to find joy in only "big" trials (which as a family we are going through some now.). He says to find joy in VARIOUS trials.

That's when I stop and think, I am so THANKFUL that Josiah alive! That his lung are strong and healthy enough to make sounds, let alone scream! I remember when he was too little to make noise. The first time we heard him make a noise was in the NICU and they had to reinsert his breathing tube and he made some little noises like a mouse squeaking. I WEPT for JOY and the fact that he was getting strong enough to make sounds.

 I thank Him for this time of instruction and that I am able to be home to instruct and discipline her. i find joy in her wanting me to be part of her life (even if it is 24/7 *wink*).

I thank the Lord that He has allowed me to stay home and home school Dakota.I am joyful that she is home with me and her sibling during the day.

Don't forget JOY!! What are some trials that you have dealt with lately and how did you find joy in them?

For His glory,

Surgery Again

Smiling even at 4am!

Hello everyone!


     I'm so sorry it's been so long since my last post. I have been getting terrible headaches and promised my husband i wouldn't sit in front of the computer as much.


     We were on vacation visiting my husband's family down in Mississippi and I expected to have time while there but alas, I did not! But it was for a good reason, God answered a prayer of mine, which I will share later.


     I wanted to share with you all yesterday, but was so very tired and busy. As I write this my son is in having surgery. I am SO tired! I have been up since 3:30am and didn't sleep well last night. But Lord willing, I will have time and the energy to work on some posts I have been wanting to share with you all.

Tired but still smiling.

     I wanted to ask you all for prayer for my son, but he is already in having surgery. I am trusting God that everything will go just fine! So far his past surgeries have gone smoothly (previously there was a higher risk, but his lungs have matured. Praise GOD!), and the first surgery this morning went smoothly. They got the i.v. in with no problem and got his ear tubes in. About 45 minutes later I got an update that they were JUST starting his palate repair surgery! The surgeon is the best around and a perfectionist, so I am NOT complaining. *smile* It means he wanted everything to be just so, before starting. It is going to be several more hours, about four to be precise.

Waiting to go in for surgery.

      I just wanted to ask for prayer, that everything will go well. That Josiah wont be in a ton of pain and that he wont have any eating or respiratory issues. After the last surgery God answered my hearts prayer and we had a nice roommate and I could get some rest. I pray our stay will once again go smoothly and he and I can rest while we are here. Please also pray that Josiah will handle not being able to stick his fingers in his mouth (his favorite thing to do for comfort and falling asleep) and have arm braces on for 6 weeks! During the first surgery I was worried how he would handle not being able to use his pacifier to fall asleep (the nurses in the NICU got him hooked on it, which drove me crazy! ;) ). God answered the concern in an unexpected way. Josiah almost immediately learned that he could bring his hands to his mouth and learned to suck on his two middles fingers. So cute! *smile* So I know if we ask Him, He can and will provide a comfort for Josiah, that I wouldn't even think of.  Our God is such a loving and caring God!

"Rock On"

Thank you for praying with me!


What is a way that God has answered a prayer for you?




For His glory,

"And let him rebuke me"

David anointed with oil

Let the righteous strike me;

it shall be a kindness.

And let him rebuke me;

it shall be as excellent oil;

let my head not refuse it.

Psalm 141:5

     Upon reading Psalm 141:5 this morning, I am struck by David's heart! David is wise and 

humble enough to ASK God to bring people (not just any people, but righteous people) into 

his life to rebuke him! He is wise enough to know and want to be corrected when he has 

done wrong or is not thinking in a godly way. He sees that rebuke as kindness and as an 

excellent oil upon his head. Then he asks God to help him not to refuse it. I am struck by 

the wisdom of David's heart!

     I don't know about you, but I have never asked God to bring righteous people into my 

life to rebuke me! I have asked God to bring godly and righteous people (particularly 

women) into my life to guide and teach me to be a godly women, wife, and mother. But, I 

have never thought, or been humble enough to ask God to bring women into my life to 

rebuke me. I don't want to be prideful and of course want to be gently rebuked if I am 

doing, acting, or thinking in an ungodly way, though it stings and technically I don't like it! 

But I want to be a women after God's own heart, even if that means from time to time I 

have to have the sting of being rebuked. 

   

  How about you...have you asked God to bring righteous people into your life to rebuke 

you?! Perhaps we need to stop and humble our hearts and ask God for that! Do you see 

righteous correction and rebukement as a good thing, as an act of kindness, as David put it?

       For His Glory,

Happy Memorial Day!

On this day of family, friends, parades  and picnics, let’s remember the sacrifice’s that have been made for this day of remembrance and celebration. There is nothing wrong with spending the weekend camping, having picnic’s, or just spending time together with family friends. But we should not forget that today is a day to remember the sacrifices our military men and women have made, are making, and will make!

And I’m proud to be an American,

where at least I know I’m free.

And I wont forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

Though I might not agree with things going on in our country, I am still very thankful for our military's sacrifice past, present and future. I am thankful that my Grandfather fought in WWII and miss him terribly! I'm thankful for our families good friend Louie, who was shot by a sniper, almost died and has lost his left arm! I am thankful to an uncle who fought in Vietnam and who is now so affect by PTSD, that he cannot live a "normal" life! I am thankful to a friends husband/father who died in Afghanistan. I am thankful to the men and women who leave their families to go and fight for us to live free! 

Thank you!

A soldier (any military branch) died for our freedom. Christ died for the freedom of our souls!

I am so thankful to God, that he sacrificed His only Son, for us!!!

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 3:16

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

John 15:13

Thank you Lord for your Son, that I might live eternally! 

Thank you to our military that I might live freely in this country!

For His glory,

Sick at Heart Part 1

Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak,

 Heal me, Lord, for my body is in agony.

I’m sick at heart.

How long, o Lord, until you restore me?

Psalm 6:2-3

Another nightmare….

So close, but so far…

You where there, but just out of reach…

My daughter, my heart…

Your little sister reminds daddy and I of you. You guys would be such good friends! Do you know she loves Elmo now too? She twirls around like a ballerina, just like you my little ballerina.

Your Christmas presents still sit there.

My soul hurts! The pain is suffocating, it threatens to consume me.

I hear the blare for a code blue over the hospital intercom and it reminds me to count my blessings and how merciful God is.

But, I found myself sobbing all the way home in the quite of the car.

The sobs awoke me from another dream as you slipped out of reach.

My God my Savior, my soul is screaming, and clawing it way out of this deep, dark hole!

I am crying out to YOU my Lord! Please, rescue me from this pain!

I’m terrified to forget her, yet feel as if my heart can’t take the pain.

Please God…I’m suffocating…

How long must I struggle with the anguish in my soul?

Psalm 13: 2a

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God.

Restore the light in my eyes, or I will die.

Psalm 13:3

For His Glory,

Going Home

Josiah's wonderful nurse attending to him.

Can I tell you a secret?!

I’m scared to go home tomorrow! I’ve never felt this way! I miss my girls and want to see them, but I feel so inadequate to care for Josiah.

The nurse thinks’ I’m silly. She says there’s no extra work. But he’s uncomfortable and he cannot snuggle the way he likes to, due to his swollen, stitched up lips!

I’m scared I’ll hurt him trying to clean it or what if something happens and the stitches tear? He has a deep cough, what if it get’s worse and he has to be hospitalized?

The fears and worries swirl around me! But God is bigger then all that!! Praise the LORD! *smile*

I know ultimately it will be ok! I am resting in my Father’s arms and I’m trusting in His goodness.

Have you been scared of a particular situation?

For His Glory,

Zany Morning and God's Good Things

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things

to those who ask Him!”

Matt. 7:11

The night before my son’s surgery, I’m sound asleep and all of a sudden I wake and notice it seems a little light out. That’s weird, I’m suppose to get up at 3:30, it should be still dark and the alarm hasn’t gone off….wait what time is it?! 4:47am!!!! I’m supposed to be on the road by 4:30am to get to the hospital on time!!

Talk about panic mode! Well, I had to stop for gas (yes, foolish me for not filling it up the night before) and was very stressed over it. I was hurriedly trying to put in $30 (exactly) in, all the while praying over the whole situation. At some random amount in the $20’s, I thought, “forget it! I don’t have time! This is enough to get me there.” Well turned to hang up the nozzle and much to my surprise (once again, how foolish of me to be surprised by God)…$30 EXACTLY had been put in!! I could just see God smiling at me, in the midst of my stress and questioning and gently reminding me that HE is HERE and that HE CARES!

I wish I could say that I calmed down and no longer fretted, but that’s not true. I was still worried we wouldn’t make it on time. I kept praying and asking God to not let us be more then 15 minutes late and well we got to the Pre-Op office at around  6:13am! *smile*

I am thankful for God’s “little” blessings! He never ceases to amaze me with the "good things" He gives and provides us with!

In what way has God blessed you? What "good thing" has He bestowed upon you?

 For His glory,