Don't be fooled by the cold, frosty view out 'our window'... I love this! I made a new batch of cocoa mix a couple days ago, we've got lots of coffee, and I'm warming up the crock pot.
The snow turns us into children. Both Chris and I, when we got out of bed went directly to the window to check on the snow. We were not disappointed! Jonothon asked if today was a 'snow day' - I chuckled and reminded him that home schoolers don't have snow days - we just exchange shoveling the driveway for P.E. (He didn't think that was terribly funny...).
If you don't have snow where you are please enjoy some of ours! Blessings on your day!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
More Snow!
It just makes me so happy to see all those big fluffy flakes falling from the sky! We've had such a wonderful weather pattern lately! Dumping snow upon snow into our world here in Holland! For years I'd only heard the national weathermen say something about "lake effect snows"... Now I know what that means and I get so excited to hear those words! I LOVE this snow. Chris and I don't have any official numbers but we figure we got at least ten inches... probably closer to twelve - just today! As I drove to grocery store today, I could see cars slipping and sliding and normally I get tense driving on icy roads. But today I just had this goofy smile while I drove through town. Mostly because the huge fluffy flakes gave me the sense that I was driving around in a snow globe! Ha! Later, I took Lucy for a "walk". I tried to keep her on the sidewalks, but she kept bounding into the foot-deep snow in people's yards... disappearing momentarily, then popping up with snow covering her nose to the mid-back! Leaping from snow to snow, having a ball! So funny!
(Laurie, you were the highlight of my week! Thanks for the visit today! Watermark's song, More Than You'll Ever Know just says so much about how I feel about you!)
I'm working on a great Bible Study by Jennifer Kennedy Dean called Live a Praying Life. I highly recommend it! It's changing my perspective on prayer. The title says so much... I no longer want to settle for having a prayer life - like it's a separate part of my world. I desire to live a praying life... a life in which connecting to Christ, Who lives in me, is just like breathing. It's a great book. Comes with a video set, but you can do the study easily without seeing the videos.
I'm going to go look outside one more time and see how much more snow we have now. Supposed to get four to seven more inches overnight! Yippee!
(Laurie, you were the highlight of my week! Thanks for the visit today! Watermark's song, More Than You'll Ever Know just says so much about how I feel about you!)
I'm working on a great Bible Study by Jennifer Kennedy Dean called Live a Praying Life. I highly recommend it! It's changing my perspective on prayer. The title says so much... I no longer want to settle for having a prayer life - like it's a separate part of my world. I desire to live a praying life... a life in which connecting to Christ, Who lives in me, is just like breathing. It's a great book. Comes with a video set, but you can do the study easily without seeing the videos.
I'm going to go look outside one more time and see how much more snow we have now. Supposed to get four to seven more inches overnight! Yippee!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Waiting on God...
Chris and I recently returned from a trip out to CA where Chris had an interview at a church in Visalia. We used to live in Visalia and enjoyed living there in the early 90's. We met some wonderful people and sensed their heart for worship and their love for the Lord. We enjoyed the entire time there and now we are awaiting the Lord's leading. We are still open to other churches as we await God's clear direction.
Some have asked about Chris's 'varied' denominational background. We have served in many different churches... Baptist, United Methodist, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Covenant, and Christian Reformed. We both have some Baptist and lots of Christian & Missionary Alliance in our backgrounds. But after much reflection, I would say that what is most important is a heart that truly desires to worship God. While we can appreciate and understand various denominational positions, a heart that follows hard after God is essential to a deep worship experience.
So we continue to seek God's leading to the next ministry position. In the meantime, the boys and I are enjoying having Dad at home. I especially appreciate him taking part in their home schooling and I can tell the boys like it too. It's nice to have a fresh perspective on things from time to time!
What are you waiting on God for? Whatever it is, I hope that you are in the Word and praying without ceasing. He is mindful of your circumstance and is already working on your behalf. Even though you may not see his hand, you can always trust his heart.
Trusting His heart, Lori
Some have asked about Chris's 'varied' denominational background. We have served in many different churches... Baptist, United Methodist, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Covenant, and Christian Reformed. We both have some Baptist and lots of Christian & Missionary Alliance in our backgrounds. But after much reflection, I would say that what is most important is a heart that truly desires to worship God. While we can appreciate and understand various denominational positions, a heart that follows hard after God is essential to a deep worship experience.
So we continue to seek God's leading to the next ministry position. In the meantime, the boys and I are enjoying having Dad at home. I especially appreciate him taking part in their home schooling and I can tell the boys like it too. It's nice to have a fresh perspective on things from time to time!
What are you waiting on God for? Whatever it is, I hope that you are in the Word and praying without ceasing. He is mindful of your circumstance and is already working on your behalf. Even though you may not see his hand, you can always trust his heart.
Trusting His heart, Lori
Monday, January 7, 2008
Back to School!
Yea! History, Geography, Vocabulary, Math, Science, Grammar, Bible.... We're back at it today! (The boys didn't have the same reaction last night. Hmmmm...) I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine. That is, until Chris and I fly out to CA this Thursday. We are going out for an interview at Visalia First CRC and are praying for God's clear direction in this.
Finally took the tree down this weekend. Put away the Christmas stuff, pulled out my snowmen! I have way too many seasonal decorations! Thanks to the long snowy winters in MI, I can keep my snowmen up sometimes until March. Then it's time for the Easter 'stuff'.
What a great time of reunion and worship we had with dear friends at Forest Park yesterday. It was the first Sunday away from Maranatha and we've chosen to attend FPCC in the interim, especially for the boys. They LOVE it there and have several friends... It just feels like going home. We are grateful for loving friends and church family in Muskegon.
And we are looking forward to the future. Not sure what God will bring our way, but trusting in His perfect plan to use us in a new ministry somewhere... Could be in Visalia... We'll soon find out!
Tonight the boys are able to start going to Bible Study Fellowship with Chris. I'll be home with Lucy and my cup of tea... Call me and come join me!
Finally took the tree down this weekend. Put away the Christmas stuff, pulled out my snowmen! I have way too many seasonal decorations! Thanks to the long snowy winters in MI, I can keep my snowmen up sometimes until March. Then it's time for the Easter 'stuff'.
What a great time of reunion and worship we had with dear friends at Forest Park yesterday. It was the first Sunday away from Maranatha and we've chosen to attend FPCC in the interim, especially for the boys. They LOVE it there and have several friends... It just feels like going home. We are grateful for loving friends and church family in Muskegon.
And we are looking forward to the future. Not sure what God will bring our way, but trusting in His perfect plan to use us in a new ministry somewhere... Could be in Visalia... We'll soon find out!
Tonight the boys are able to start going to Bible Study Fellowship with Chris. I'll be home with Lucy and my cup of tea... Call me and come join me!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
It's a Snow Globe Day!
Don't you just love it when large snowflakes float down from the sky, making it look like you're living inside a snow globe?? We bought new snow bibs for the boys last night, making them much more eager to shovel ten inches of snow off our driveway, so they can PLAY in the snow afterward. I'll keep the tea kettle warm for the hot chocolate!
Happy Snow Day!
Happy Snow Day!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year!
It's a season of new beginnings! I'm reminded of the passage of scripture in Lamentations, chapter three, verses 22 and 23: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." His mercies are new to us every day! I wouldn't make it without His great mercy. So, I'm thanking the Lord for His mercy and grace, lavished on me and available as I bow my knee to Him and ask Him to guide me (and my family) in this new year. I pray that you will seek His face and experience His grace and mercy in your life as well.
It began to snow here on New Year's eve and has kept snowing, lightly. We have about eight inches on the ground... and it's still snowing as I look out the window. (Chris is out shoveling the driveway... good cardio!) I LOVE Michigan winters! (Oh, there goes our neighbor... snowshoeing down the street! How fun!) Last night I broke away from the party to walk Lucy (the beagle) - she'd had too much party and needed to get out! It was one of those magical snowy nights! The street lights were all on, Christmas lights on neighbor's houses, not a car in sight.... It was Lucy, me and the "crunch" of New Year's eve snow. I love that "snow quiet"!
We had a couple families over for the evening... Lots of laughter, games, food, and party horns! We closed the night, or should I say began the morning, with scripture and prayer and had a great time together. God has blessed us with friends who have become 'family' and we love them dearly.
Yesterday afternoon, Chris came home from the church office with a little box of his 'stuff'. He had cleared out his desk at the church. He is officially unemployed . We enjoyed a reception following the morning service this past Sunday, avoiding saying a final "good-bye" to a few close friends, but in a large part closing that chapter of our life. We are so confident that God's hand is upon our family during this time of transition, that we are at peace as we leave Maranatha.
We are looking forward with anticipation to God leading us into the next 'chapter' in our lives and are trusting in the promises of His Word. Promises to call us, to lead us, to refine us, to bless us, to use us, and to develop more of His character in our lives. We are full of faith and excited to step out and follow His lead.
I'm praying for several friends as this new year begins... One just had cancer surgery and awaits pathology reports; one who is beginning the process of saying goodbye to her father as his health fails; a few who are in the stages of 'releasing' children to a new stage of life; one who is far away from her children and has to love them through emails and phone calls; one who is expecting her second child.... So, I'm praying for God's mercy and grace to cover each of their circumstances. I'm praying that each one of them will be blessed to experience the lordship of Christ over their lives in a new way. I'm praying that each one will pass on the blessings and give God the glory He is worthy of.
So, pass on His mercy and grace to someone in your life path. Happy New Year!
It began to snow here on New Year's eve and has kept snowing, lightly. We have about eight inches on the ground... and it's still snowing as I look out the window. (Chris is out shoveling the driveway... good cardio!) I LOVE Michigan winters! (Oh, there goes our neighbor... snowshoeing down the street! How fun!) Last night I broke away from the party to walk Lucy (the beagle) - she'd had too much party and needed to get out! It was one of those magical snowy nights! The street lights were all on, Christmas lights on neighbor's houses, not a car in sight.... It was Lucy, me and the "crunch" of New Year's eve snow. I love that "snow quiet"!
We had a couple families over for the evening... Lots of laughter, games, food, and party horns! We closed the night, or should I say began the morning, with scripture and prayer and had a great time together. God has blessed us with friends who have become 'family' and we love them dearly.
Yesterday afternoon, Chris came home from the church office with a little box of his 'stuff'. He had cleared out his desk at the church. He is officially unemployed . We enjoyed a reception following the morning service this past Sunday, avoiding saying a final "good-bye" to a few close friends, but in a large part closing that chapter of our life. We are so confident that God's hand is upon our family during this time of transition, that we are at peace as we leave Maranatha.
We are looking forward with anticipation to God leading us into the next 'chapter' in our lives and are trusting in the promises of His Word. Promises to call us, to lead us, to refine us, to bless us, to use us, and to develop more of His character in our lives. We are full of faith and excited to step out and follow His lead.
I'm praying for several friends as this new year begins... One just had cancer surgery and awaits pathology reports; one who is beginning the process of saying goodbye to her father as his health fails; a few who are in the stages of 'releasing' children to a new stage of life; one who is far away from her children and has to love them through emails and phone calls; one who is expecting her second child.... So, I'm praying for God's mercy and grace to cover each of their circumstances. I'm praying that each one of them will be blessed to experience the lordship of Christ over their lives in a new way. I'm praying that each one will pass on the blessings and give God the glory He is worthy of.
So, pass on His mercy and grace to someone in your life path. Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
