New Button

I am going to be working on posting more often and have re-vamped my blog. I finished choosing the background and editing my header. Todays project was creating a new blog button. It's right over there to the right. Tell me what you think of it!

I have also added some of my favorite blogs, I wish they all had buttons too, but the ones who don't will be listed by their address.
Thanks for reading and I hope to post more in the future : )

Lord, Increase My Faith!

I have been having conversations with God and my husband about our finances. We are receiving a very small amount for our weekly salary here at our small church. It is enough that we barely squeek by, and if I told you just how little it was you would be suprised we can even make it.

I decided that it is up to the Lord and my husband to provide for our family, it is not my place to be the bread winner. Strangely this has taken the pressure off of me, and although I manage the finances and the checkbook, it relieves some of the pressure. It's not a cop out, but a coping mechanism that makes me trust my husband and the Lord.

We were just talking this morning (God and me) and He was asking me to trust Him. Later in the morning my husband and I were discussing our finances and he was asking me if I could trust God to meet our financial needs. I said, sure I know I can, especially according to the Bible and God's promises. But, I added, " We do have some very specific needs and I just don't know how we are going to do it, and I have a lot of fear, which I am surrendering to God."

So, tonight after service I was asked if I would like to clean our church weekly, for $50 a week. "I don't want anything more to clean" haha. Of course I'll do it! And wow, that will really help with our way too tight budget. I am am just amazed at how quickly God has come through in meeting our need AND in increasing my faith (which is pitifully weak sometimes)

Friday Forget Me Not

These Friday Forget Me Not posts will be posts about random things in our life that I do not want to forget. Funny, I was trying to go to sleep last night and the idea popped into my head for it. So here goes : )

Several months ago we were at the bank with Silas (3) and Jachin (10 months). There was a lady there smiling and admiring the boys. We went out to our van ahead of her and while we were putting the boys in their car seats she said: "Make sure you cherish these days! I miss them...my boy is in Iraq, and now all I have in my backseat is a mop!" I looked in her backseat and sure enough there was a mop : )

Wednesday night December 15, 2010, was an eventful service. Jachin was grouchy in his usual "Let me go play" mood, he was NOT wanting to sit through the service. I put him on the floor and was trying to keep an eye on all of the children. Vaughn said, "My nose is bleeding!" It was. Silas was wigglly and squirming, so I grabbed his hand, told Vaughn to go to the bathroom and bent down to find Jachin, who was quickly scooting away towards the back of the church. I snagged him and we all headed to the bathroom. When we got there I wiped Vaughn's nose, and looked inside, and there way up inside was something green. "It's probably a boogy" I thought to myself (yes I think in child talk haha). Lo and Behold he had put a bead up his nose...." Now how in the world am I supposed to get that out?" Well, he made it suprisingly simple, he blew and it went flying across the bathroom floor. Whew, bead crisis avoided!

After the service we made up the Christmas treat boxes for Sunday. While we were all involved with that (including our children) Silas lost his coat. We looked for 20 minutes...and we have not found it yet. I really think he was laughing inside....and he doesn't remember where he put it. (Of course!) So he had the honor of wearing my coat on the walk over from the church, he cried all the way. I was stuck between feeling sorry for him, and laughing that he was that upset about wearing my coat...with a little "Well that's what happen's when you lose your coat thrown in" : )

I get through motherhood by talking to myself and laughing and complaining to little old me.Silas wearing my coat...doesn't he looked traumatized? : )

These are a few things that I don't want to forget!

All I want for Christmas is.....

I love giving gifts at Christmas....it is my way of showing people I care. I enjoy shopping and getting gifts I think (hope) family and friends will enjoy. But this Christmas (like many before it) we don't have much $$$ to give great gifts. I find myself reaching out for something in the store, only to pull my hands back empty *you don't have enough money for that Crystal*. This has happened umpteen times this year, and the one day I went shopping with friends, I got only what was on my list, and still felt like I over spent.

I found myself trying to find a balance and really remember what is the real reason for Christmas. I remember as a child there were Christmases where we had very little...nothing under the tree. And the wonder and joy I still felt when allowed to make home made decorations for a little tree we found in the woods, and the suprise and gratefulness when neighbors brought over beautifully wrapped gifts for us. I am not sure just where all the pressure comes from to have gifts for my children...myself, the media, family? But it's there. I have even visited the blogs of large families to see what they are giving their children, and used that as a guide line for what we are giving our children. I also realize our lack of finaces has spurred me into greater creativity to make Christmas memories. We are starting some family traditions, which are important and where true memories are made. I don't remember many gifts as a child, but I do remember the times we spent together, that is what made a lasting impression on my child heart.

So I find myself asking myself....What do I want my children taking away from this Christmas season? Do I want them giving me their long list of what they want....and them knowing they will get it, or do I want them learning to love one another and cherish the memories we create together as a family, something they will take with them long after the toys are broken and forgotten.

This year we have made a few memories I already cherish.

1. Dancing to Christmas music. We had so much fun, being goofy, cute, graceful (even romantic as I danced with my hubby) we had so much fun dancing in the living room to the light of the Christmas tree...together...a family.

2. Making Christmas cookies, making a mess together, a family.

Realizing that memories are much more precious than gifts...something very special I can give my children. When I consider it all, I realize I already have the best gifts anyway...and the best gifts I can give are free.

Fall 2010

Emmaus