In thankful memory and blessed hope I write this...

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." - Hebrews 12:28-29

This spiritual kingdom, which is real and inhabited, is an inspiration for my American freedom today!  I cannot say that everyone in America holds this view, but I can say that real freedom is only found in Jesus Christ.  This is why, the Kingdom of God is forefront on my mind as I remember today on Memorial Day!  I am so thankful that I have been overwhelmingly blessed to share in Gods kingdom and the nation of America, Jesus is our ultimate example of sacrifice as he: "laid down His life for His friends," and by His example we are able to recognize the love and the sacrifice others have given for our American freedom.

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:8-13

Laying down my life for another, truly there is no greater love than this!  What an incredible example Jesus is to us all.  How often do I lay down my life for someone else?  I think of this last verse in two ways: literally giving up the entirety of my life (unto death) for another and also sharing my life daily as a benefit for another as I live day to day.  The reality is that God has called me to do both: as a Christian I am called to give up my life in its entirety to follow my Savior God, and as I do that my life should naturally be a blessing to others everyday that I am alive on earth (and Lord Willing my life will continue to be a blessing even after I die in this body).

As I close, I just want to say thank you to all my dear friends and family who have served America and still serve in America's military for the freedom and the life that I have been blessed with today:

Robert Hunecke (Gave up his life in WW2)

Paul Hendricks (Marine)

Curtis Boland (Army)

Charles Boland (Army)

Mike Miller (Air Force)

Buddy Bewick (Air Force)

Jessica Larousse (Army)

Faith Sumpter (Army)

David Ameneyro (Army)

Megan Ameneyro (Army)

Your service and sacrifice are not overlooked! May the freedom we have in Jesus Christ first and foremost inspire us to be thankful for our freedom in America. And, may God Bless each of you and keep you close to Himself as you serve Him and share your lives with others.

And I just asked...

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
⁴ Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones."

- Proverbs 3:3-8 (NLT)

I just asked for some friends to pray for Gods favor over my husband and healing strength over my body...  Then God led me to chapter 3 in Proverbs- one I have read many times, but definitely needed to hear again.  This whole section encapsulates just what I had asked my friends to pray over me though- and more!  

Oh how I need loyalty and kindness to ever be written deeply on my heart.  Visible for all to see and lived out daily by Gods power and love in me.  Jeremy and I both need this!  And, praise The Lord, he has shown both loyalty and kindness to us all of our lives, and all of His life ;)  So we definitely have an example to look after.

Also, I thank God for his favor!  What a blessing that He gives grace to the humble and favor to those who are kind.  His righteousness is all we need to cover us and make us whole- thank you Jesus!

As my husband takes his final test tonight to become an electrician, I am refreshed to know God favors those who are loyal and kind.  Two qualities that my husband has been given in abundance!  So I pray over him that Gods good reputation in his life will go before him and that he will glorify The Lord with all the knowledge he has poured over himself and worked hard to learn.  Even so, my trust is in our Father God and not my own wisdom; this I pray over Jeremy too. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a classic, just as all of God's Words have an amazing ability to speak to the heart, this section seems to be especially direct: " Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  I love how wonderfully simple this command is, and yet how all encompassing!  God does not want just a piece of my heart- He wants it all, He wants all of me.  His promises are profound in these verses too!  As I lean on His understanding and acknowledge Him (seek Him out) in all that I do, He promises to make my path straight- to show me which direction to go.  Truly The Lord is my guide and without Him I am lost!

My body is healed from the inside out when I remember that He is the only One I should fear- He is the only One who has ultimate power- and He is my Love, my Father, and my Friend!

As I turn from evil (please show me areas, dear Lord, that I may have overlooked), Father may I turn to You in trust and awe. Please, fill my bones with Your strength- oh how I need my Savior's strength!

I feel very close right now to a dear friend who has struggled a lot with her breathing just recently- I too have been having a very hard time.  It is such an overwhelming feeling to not be able to breath, to wheeze and to strain with every breath taken.  This feeling is no stranger to me either, I have had to face it most of my life.  My friend and I also share the same faith in our lord, and as much as I know God can take this struggle from me and from her, He has not completely removed it from our lives.  This understanding of his power and our suffering before Him, can be very disheartening sometimes- but then I look to Jesus!  Even in the midst of his trials and surrounded by suffering, He prayed: 'not my will, Lord, but Yours be done.'  Honestly, I believe that my asthma is an ongoing reminder that I need Jesus in my life just as I need air to breathe.  Breathing isn't always easy for me and neither is following and trusting Jesus- but just as God gives me grace to live one more day, so I pray and rest in Jesus with His example of faith.  May my dear friend who struggles alongside me, physically and spiritually, be reminded of these truths and blessed with greater trust in our faithful Father too!

²⁵ "You need not be afraid of sudden disaster

    or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord is your security.
    He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap."

- Proverbs 3:25-26

Snippet of sunshine...

"The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come..." - Song of Solomon 2:12

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.” (Psalm 143:8)

Yes!  Here we are Lord- fully Yours. Please keep us close and show us your ways.

Thank you for that lavender latte...

I think next time I get a coffee at 8:30pm I need to remember to get it decaf, otherwise, blog posts at midnight start happening and then somehow I have to function the next morning!  Oh but there is so much to write about all of a sudden.  My brain just won't turn off!

First of all, I am reading a book called "The Circle Maker" (I've been reading it for awhile now, but am closing in on the last pages!) and it has me completely excited about writing again.  Especially for the purposes of prayer and planning out goals- things I really do enjoy writing out!  Thinking about something important is one thing, but writing it out is the next step to making it a happen.  For instance, just this, my dream of blogging faithfully about my life for Gods glory.  Now, there will obviously be days (maybe weeks) where I am overloaded with other things, and yet, a few minutes here and there has helped me to see that every entry is a victory!

So, those are just a couple thoughts on the book I'm reading and blogging, but there's more!  I have been dreaming of starting a parent and child play school at my house.  First I just wanted to have a Childcare center in my home as a ministry and added income, but God is continually reshaping this idea into a more hands on parenting program.  Something that inspires and encourages stay at home parents- and maybe even other caregivers- to be more hands on and interactive with their children.  And then, to provide a safe and fun environment and curriculum (with a biblical, prayer based emphasis) for parents and children to participate in.  This, of course, will give me weekly deadlines to nail down, curriculum to write, and planning goals for my child and my household- all blessings in disguise. I have been feeling the tug from my lord to start something this summer!  So, now I have to pray through those details ;) but I am excited and thrilled to have a clearer picture directly in sight.  

Last but not least, I want to get a blog out into the world with all the curriculum I have already helped write and put together for the first year I led kids church at Resonate Christian Church (here in Sherwood, Oregon).  This is a lofty goal indeed, because all the things I wrote have been spread over a large quantity of different emails, word files, and online spaces...  But, getting them together would help me to get closer to my goal of writing and publishing my own set of Biblical kids curriculum some day!

Whoo- and so those are my thoughts.  They may not be too exciting for those of you who have different dreams than me, however, these ideas are my current joys! So if you can take away anything from this blog post- remember to dream big, make plans, and commit your way to The Lord!  May He be honored and glorified in all your endeavors :)

"Commit to The Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans." - Proverbs 16:3

Sweet young baby to little boy...

Don't get me wrong, my little boy can be very, very sweet still, but he is growing up awfully fast; indeed, he is not a baby anymore.  This last week has just reminded me again of how quickly children move from one phase to the next.  After a little 18month check-up with our Doctor this morning, it suddenly hit me that he will be two before his next routine physical.

Two years old!  I know that's nothing in the span of a whole lifetime, but it sounds like a huge quantity of time in the eyes of a first time mom.  How can my baby be growing up so fast?

He wants to sit at the table with us everyday now (no more high chair for him, booster seat all the way), spoons and forks in his left hand are also a must, climbing into his car seat is necessary now (no, no- is his continual answer when I ask to help), his shoes are all getting too tight (again), scraped knees are actually happening already, and oh-my-goodness the words!  Nico is beginning to talk up a storm and he can hardly form sentences- lol- it is so fun to watch his brain work.

Just a few of my favorite Nico words:

"Belly", "cereal", "watar", "milk", "watch", "bird", "ouside" for outside, "table", "chair", "pactil" for practical, "bubble", "venture" for adventure, "fire- ra" for Saphira, "toes", "baby", "belbow" for elbow, "knock-knock", "copta" for helicopter, "snack", "bump", "mama", "dada", "An Betty" for aunt Bethie, "Hannah", "Paulo" for Pablo, "cuttle" for cuddle, "hug", "kiss", "taint you" for thank you...  And the list goes on and on...

So does my praise for this sweet little boy in my life- thank you Jesus!  I am praying Nico will grow up to have his own intimate praise filled relationship with The Lord.  I can't wait to enjoy every minute with my cutie- even when I am about to go crazy with his endless energy, yes, even still God always reminds me to laugh! 

“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
¹¹ Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all." - 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

Deep Waters...

Yesterday was one of those days where I just wanted to go back to bed most of the day.  Pregnancy and toddlerhood have been getting in on my sleep cycle lately.  Jeremy got home in time to have dinner with us, so it was awesome to have him around plus he entertained Nico and gave me a nice little break.

The day before yesterday and then tonight, look like they're going to be a different story though.  My hubby didn't get home until 11pm two nights ago and after talking with him a few minutes ago, tonight will most likely be the same late thing.

So, instead of napping with Nico (like I probably should be) I'm sort of just pouring out my woes, mainly because I really do just want to get these downcast words out and then let God fill my spirit again!

With that thought in mind, here are a few more sad spots Ive been praying over: my aunt who keeps suffering through her migraines this week (6 in like 6 days), the loss of two of my friends' little ones in the last two months, a friend whose husband has applied for a job raise that they really need right now but is being is being told to wait, two of my dear friends who are looking at getting a divorce, and another friend whose husband has been burdened down by angry customers everyday recently...  Not to mention just the overwhelming depth of hurt and injustice felt by two of my moms dear friends concerning unfair circumstances in their lives.  After actually writing all that out, It's easy to look from a human perspective and feel like my problems or troubles are far less than others... And yet at the same time- we are all in the same boat.  Each one of the people I mentioned above have the same needs as I do: for hope and love in Jesus!  For salvation, grace, patience, and forgiveness...  So, Lord, please hold these concerns for me, and for all of us, I just want to lay them at your feet.

"In my distress I called to the Lord;

    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled and quaked...

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy...

²⁸ You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light." - Psalm 18:6-7,16-17,28

Praise The Lord for his power- truly our God can turn darkness into Light!  May my eyes be opened on how to share this amazing truth with others.  Especially with all this extra free time I have since Jeremy is busy working hard on his many jobs.

He is my Guide...

"Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

When I feel afraid
Think I've lost my way
Still You're there
Right beside me

Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

I will not forget
Your love for me and yet
My heart forever is wandering

Jesus be my guide
And hold me to Your side
And I will love You to the end

Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

Thy Word
Is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path"

-Amy Grant and Psalm 119:105

This song came to me in the midst of my very warn out morning and I had to share it...  Mostly I have just remembered the words in the verse, which were exactly what I needed (Thank you Lord) but its good to be reminded of all the words in this song!  Jesus is always with us, in the tired and the grumpy, in the excitement and the joy- there is no need to fear, because we have a Guide and we have His Words.  Hallelujah!

"Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." - 1 Timothy 3:16

And that's pretty much where I am!  Beyond all questions...  And yet I know that's what makes a really unique and urgent sounding blog- good questions!  Lol.  I mean I guess I have plenty, but in light of Jesus and His goodness.  I am silenced again in the midst of my struggles, because, He is all I need!