I love my kids...

The other day my kids were having one of those love/hate days - and went from playing happily together to "telling on" each other kind of days (LOTS of fun for a mom!!)...

I was busy talking with Fred in the kitchen (actually having a PRODUCTIVE conversation while the kids got their PJ's on - so I wanted to finish it) and I asked Chayse if she would read a book to her brothers for 5 minutes while I talked to Daddy (NOT laziness - just enjoyed a couple of minutes of un-interrupted talking time).

Here's what I came upstairs to:















Aren't they cute!! Connor's on the left, Chayse in the middle (reading an "Inspector Gadget" book) and Colton on the right...

I just LOVE IT when my kiddos get along and do stuff like this...
I still giggle a little every time I see this picture and I remember just how precious EACH of my kids are! Thank you Lord!

My random life... but no so random??

Just to be transparent here for a minute...

Two days ago, I was ready to head back to Jamaica and stay there for a little bit (with my family, of course - not alone)... I miss the kids, I miss wrapping my arms around them and loving on them, I wish to go to their houses and help their parents - anything - just to help with something that doesn't involve paperwork, hours of meetings and "office hours".

Believe me - I LOVE my job, I love Driven services, I love my 242 group, I love where God has called me - ALL OF IT... I just don't always love the work that accompanies it.

Then last night... THIS:



















God hit me like a BEAM of light... not just a "ray of sunshine" a stinkin BEAM!!

I spent the day yesterday (really I've spent the last 4 weeks) preparing for our Purity kickoff service last night (and really for the rest of the services for the month) and really felt like I heard from God as to what to say and I was "ready".

But in that service, as I sat down in my seat to teach - I felt the presence of God so strong (even through all the goofy videos we watched first) on me... and as we began to have a time of praise before the teaching - it was even stronger. Then as I stepped up to teach, it just HIT ME... not that I taught some magnificent teaching - just God leading me!!
And as we went into worship tears welled up in my eyes as I realize that THIS is where God's called me to (not Jamaica, not anywhere else) to be here... a thirty-some year old woman of God in the middle of hundreds of teenagers worshiping, praising, and helping them walk out the plan God has for them! It was so awesome!

I came home and was looking through some pictures and found the one above from my trip to Jamaica and it HIT ME - that's what I felt like!! I felt like I was surrounded by the "clouds" of being busy with lots of "things" and here was my Father, shining down on me showing me that He sees me and He's leading me and I am in the right spot.

Thank you Father!

Change your world view today...

Did you know that today is "Global Food Crisis Day"?? Check it out HERE...

I realize that when we all see videos (like the one on Compassion's website) its very easy to turn it off, close the "window", change the channel and just make it all "go away".

But for me - I just can't anymore. Something in Jamaica changed me...















I used to feel like - "I can't solve the problem, so I don't want to see it (it just breaks my heart anyway)." But I had to ask myself - where is the compassion of God in that statement?

On my first day to the primary school in Jamaica, I was getting the tour around the school and during this tour the kids took a break for "snack". Some children took a 1,000 "J" bill out of their pocket and headed to the tuk shop for some chips and a juice bag. Some took out a bundle of something from home. But so many more just wandered around the school yard... some "mooched" food off of the other kids - but more just wandered around.

I had one little boy come up to me to say hello who was just a little taller than my Colton... and as we chatted he told me that he had just had his birthday and he was 6 now (my Colton is 5). My Colton is quite the skinny little boy and reminded me of this little boy who was very skinny as well. As I told him that he was about the same age and size as my Colton at home - I reached down to affectionately give his arm a little squeeze and my heart dropped... all I felt was skin and bone (no muscle). And yes, this little boy had NO snack to eat.

As I fought to hold back the tears at the thought of "this could be my little boy if not for the grace of God that we are BLESSED to live in the US, we have jobs and we have food"... my mom hands me a piece of cake that one of the teachers was selling as a fundraiser for the school. (Are you kidding me???)

I looked at her (still fighting back the tears) and said "I CAN'T eat this!!" Do you see this little boy in front of me? (And have you seen the size of my arms compared to his?)

What am I supposed to do?
"Can I give it to him?" I asked her.
"Sure, whatever." she responds

I then took that cake (and the other one I got from her a little while later) and broke off pieces and gave it to every kid that didn't have a snack that day.

I also took my spending money for snacks (that I had brought) and spent it on those kids at the tuk shop for the next two days. (Yes, I am a bit of a sucker for all their begging - but who cares! I can spoil them if I want to - I'm a mom!)

Now I realize that I didn't "save the world" or stop global hunger that week... but I know I made a difference.

Because as I got back to my hotel that first night and bawled on my mom's shoulder, I prayed and asked God "What am I supposed to do now?"

Make a difference when and where you can... were the words I heard.

I can't always send money (but I will when I can), I can't always feed them (although I will when I can)... but I CAN take the time to pray for God to send others to send money, bring them food, bring good paying jobs to their parents and more.

Why am I sharing all this? Because I know we can each make a difference instead of "turning the channel"...

for those here - LWCC does SO much to help programs that help feed children and families in the cities we travel to for missions trips (and more)... just support the church and support people going on trips!

for those away - Did you know for just $13 you can feed a child for a MONTH!! Take what you would spend on coffee for a week, one or two lunches a week or whatever and send it to them... they have proven results.

for anyone - PRAYER does make a difference!! It isn't a "thing" that just makes us feel better - our prayers AVAIL MUCH!! When we believe that God can do it!!

Matthew 25:34-36 (The Message)

^34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

You can make a difference...

"warmed hearts"

I was reading this today and just loved this part...

Proverbs 19:6 (The Message Translation)
"That's how God's Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
warming hearts to faith."

Now, I really enjoy the "melting ice" - God can melt ALL the ice and snow He wants to here in Minnesota (especially with our last "dump" of snow)...

But I love that part about "warming hearts to faith"... it just reminds me of how much He loves me! He doesn't "push" me to faith - He "warms my heart" to faith... which just makes me want my faith to grow even more! :)

This was so good - I just had to share...

I just had to share this good little "nugget" I found today... check it out HERE

One little kind word can be MUCH better than a sweet treat! :)

Love you all!

Enjoy! :)

A life changed...

I am back after 8 days in Jamaica (sorry, should have posted that BEFORE I left - but just ran out of time)...

I went on a Missions trip there with my mom and another lady from church and spent 8 days traveling to, from and around the many sides of Jamaica. And the time there definitely changed me...















We spent the majority of our outreach time at Galina Primary School - tutoring the kids, helping them write letters to their sponsor's in the states and helping out the teachers with whatever we could. I also spent a bit of time playing outside with them, spending all my money to buy them snacks and watching how much they love their lives and glorify God in what they do have (instead of looking at what they DON'T have).

You'll be seeing much more about my trip in the next couple of weeks I'm sure - WAY too much happened to explain in just one post.

But I'll leave you with one of my funniest moments...

As I'm sitting in the "Infant" class (basically Pre-K and Kindergarten) - I was tutoring the little girl in the picture above that's in the red checked dress. (She really touched my heart) It was her second day of school and because she was 6 or 7 they put her in "Infant 2" (the "kindergarten" side of the class) but she couldn't keep up (the next day she was moved down to "Infant 1"). She was sitting between two little boys who were quite obsessed with my skin and arms.

The little boy to my right proceeds to try and put his hands around my upper arm and then looks at me and declares "You're FAT!"
I looked at him and said "What?"
And he repeated himself "You're FAT!"
Again I said, "What?"
He continues to say "I can't feel your bone - you're FAT!"
(You'll notice from the picture - almost all of the kids are VERY skinny - literally skin & bones)
I replied with the only thing I knew to say... "Okay?"
And then I threw in a smart remark as well "Should I skip lunch today since I'm so fat?"
And the little boy to my left says - "No, you're not fat. You're beautiful..."
(as he was caressing my very soft skin on my arm - which he loved)

Amazing what can make your day...














I think I may have to go back again...

My husband is the best...

Do you remember those Espirit bags growing up?










I always wanted one growing up - and was given one by a friend of mine... it was used, but I LOVED it and used it every day! I felt SO COOL!!!

Well, leave it to my husband to make me feel "cool" again... I have been talking about wanting a Juicy purse for a while and have looked at them online, but just could not justify spending the money on myself. Well, my WONDERFUL hubby decided I was worth it and HE was gonna spend the money (that I wouldn't spend on myself) and bought me a Juicy purse for my birthday! :)



















Yes, I know it isn't my birthday yet - but that's the other funny part...

Fred had the kids make cards for the presents that he bought so the kids could each give me one and I think he showed them what they were... because as Colton got in the car last night after school here's what I heard:
Colton: "Mommy! We made your birthday card for your present!
Chayse: "Colton! You can't tell!"
Colton: "Yes I can - you're not the boss!" (VERY common statement at our house)
Chayse: "No you can't! Dad said so!"
Colton: "Yes I can, Chayse! Mommy we got you a sweatshirt..." things went silent as he got "the look" from Daddy. :)

Fred didn't trust Colton to not tell any of the other presents AND Fred has never been a good one to keep surprises from me ;) so he let me open all of them last night!
All I can say is - the man did GOOD! :)