God is doing his work

I've been praying a lot lately about some different things going on in my life right now.  And guess what?  God is listening and revealing answers.  Or, more like little hints.

I have always believed in the power of prayer.  When Archer was extremely sick in ICU at the age of 3, I prayed that the Lord would bring me home safely from Mexico (I was there doing graduate work) so I could see him and that He would keep him alive until I arrived.  Not only did I make it home, but Archer is now a strong, healthy 12 year old.

For years, Jamison and I would get into discussions about faith vs. science or proof.  I would pray that he would accept Jesus so we could walk in faith together.  It happened and it has made a tremendous difference in our relationship and family.

I could go on and on about the things I've prayed about that God answered positively.  But he also answers negatively sometimes or answers in His time, not ours.  I was explaining to the children the other day about the opportunities that God gives us sometimes are because it is His plan, not ours.  They were upset because we drove by our old house that we were forced to move from because of some financial issues and mortgage company garbage that could never get resolved.  So we left after being threatened with foreclosure.  We miss it.  But I had to explain to them that God has another plan that we don't yet understand and he will reveal to us when He is ready.

God is working on some other things with me right now.  They will be revealed when the time is right - when it is His time.  For now, I will continue to pray and He will continue to give me hints until all is ready.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will direct your path.

Be blessed!

I've been so busy

Well, the title says it all.  I've been so busy.  I thought things would ease up since basketball season ended and only one child has started baseball but it seems I have so many activities to fill my time.  I haven't clipped coupons in almost a month, haven't really gone grocery shopping either (but I'm still saving money), and my house is (always) a mess.  But I keep pushing on.

Little one has a pageant she wants to be in that is out of my budget so I'll be making lots of art to hopefully sell to fund that adventure.  The big one and I will be going to Costa Rica in less than 90 days and I've got to raise some money for that too.  The middle one wants to go back to football camp this summer, which is not cheap, nor is it in my debt-snowball budget.  But we'll make it work.  I'm going to put my Pinterest pins to work by re-creating some crafts for the little one to make herself and "earn" her beauty pageant trip.  The big one is going to help me at a craft show I do locally every year to "earn" his trip.  I just need to find something for that middle child to do to earn his football camp trip.  I would like to find time to save money for a family trip this summer, too.  Even if it's just a weekend getaway, just the 5 of us - three boys and two girls.

I must say, I have had an overwhelming feeling that I am being urged to write and illustrate.  I can't explain it and don't really want to try to explain it.  I take these things as God trying to speak to me.  It is just sometimes hard to focus on what he is trying to say because we are so...busy.  I have to slow down and take the time to talk to him more and find out if what I feel is his way of telling me I should pursue that or if it is just a hobby that I currently miss because I don't have the time to indulge it.  Either way, I enjoy writing and illustrating and think, maybe, if I could find all my little stories and poems, I could put together some type of book that I could sell at my craft show and online to fund these little adventures this summer.  That would be nice.

Be blessed!