Gabriel...1/28/2012 Lebanon, OR

Brey's Championship Match...1/14/2012 Siuslaw

Brey's Championship Match Round 2

Brey's Championship Match Round 3

Storms...

So, as I sit here tonight on the Oregon Coast, everyone is gearing up for a big storm. School has already been cancelled for tomorrow, and everyone who can stay home is staying home. The forecast calls for over 100 mph winds here tomorrow and ocean swells to 35 feet. I don't think I have ever been through a storm like this, so it should be very exciting!

When I got home from work today, Thane and the boys were busy unloading wood into the house, organizing candles, hunting for lanterns and bringing in everything that isn't tied down from outside. As they hurriedly prepared, I found myself worrying...what if we don't have power? what if I can't get to work? what if we run out of wood? what if our roof blows off or our house floods? No one else in my house seemed worried though, all busy preparing...making sure every possible complication had a solution. As I watched them, I started to draw an obvious parallel, it goes something like this...

The National Weather Service issues a warning, right? "Hey! There's a big storm coming!!! Its going to be bad!!!" We respond, if we're listening, by preparing for the worst...figuring out how we will "weather" the storm. In our own lives the Lord tells us, through His Word, that we will have to "weather" storms. What they look like, how difficult they are and how they will affect us will be different for everyone. But what is the same is that we all will have them. So, how should we respond to the warning? Should we panic? Should we ignore it? Should we put it aside and deal with it later? The Lord tells us we should prepare...

Hauling wood, gathering candles, and filling lanterns can prepare us for weathering an Oregon
Coast winter storm. But the storms of life require similar preparations. Studying the Word, will give us wisdom and discernment. Prayer and seeking Him will give us guidance and comfort. Worshipping our Saviour at all times gives us the comfort and knowledge that His sovereignty is certain. We may not know when the storm is coming or even what the storm is, but if we're prepared we can handle anything in the name of Jesus. Draw close to Him before, after and in the midst of your storms...there is no better place.

Happy Birthday T!

Isn't he the cutest ever??? I mean really, I don't know anyone who ages better than my hubby. Last week we got to celebrate another birthday with him. His favorite time of year, the 6 weeks he's younger than me, had finally ended...whew! Anyway, he and I spent the day off from work together, went to his favorite restaurant for breakfast and then had our friends over for some cake and presents. It was a really nice day.

I continue to be amazed that the Lord has blessed me so much that I would be able to share his life and raise our children together. I know that the Lord has challenged us to raise quality men who are comitted to their Savior, their families and their communities. It's no small task in a country where men are considered stupid, sloppy and a downright inconvenience. The world tells us that women can do everything...better. The message has been around for so long that many of us have become numb to it. We don't even notice it most of the time. In fact, we often find ourselves even participating in it. How many times have we settled around the television to be entertained by "Raymond Barone" or "Two and a half Men". "Ward Cleaver" is long gone as are so many of the other decent characters that have come out of Hollywood. It is so invasive in our culture that we actually have to fight against the mainstream.

I am so grateful that the Lord has given my boys a role model worth emulating. A man who lives life with passion, loves the land and all the outdoors has to offer. A man who hunts, fishes and pumps iron, but reads to his boys before bed. A man who rides dirtbikes, repels from bridges, loves, and jumps out of planes yet loves his wife, protects her, defends her, supports her, makes her coffee, watches sappy movies with her and wipes her tears... A man who never ceases seeking what the Lord desires for him, who fails, hits his knees, wipes them off and gets back up again. A man with more courage, determination and love than any other. I am so thankful that he is my man...

Christmas Fun!!

I love these pictures...The one on the left proves that every Christmas I get shorter ;) The one on the left just cracks me up! I'm not sure why, but the older I get the more I enjoy being "silly". These are our best friends, John and Lucy. They are one of the best things that ever happened to us and being reunited with them this year has been one of the biggest blessings of 2011. One of the great things about our relationship is that we are easily able to bring out the "silliness" in one another. We spend a lot of time laughing, teasing each other and enjoying being able to laugh at ourselves. So much of our adulthood is spent bogged down in stress and seriousness. It is nice to enjoy the fellowship that the Lord gave us and not take ourselves too seriously.

Our Christmas was so joyful this year. With our recent move and job transitions, we were not able to provide as many gifts for our kids this year. Initially, I was so disappointed about it. I spent some time worrying and entertaining my good friend, self pity, and then I got a grip and decided to be thankful for the important things this Christmas. My family is all together, in our home, and we all continue to enjoy good health and a wonderful church family. Our boys are growing fast and soon our nest will start emptying, which I just cannot believe.

So this year we went shopping and were able to get each of the boys one very special gift that they really wanted. Watching them open their gifts on Christmas Eve actually brought tears to my eyes. They were so thankful! Sometimes you wonder if you've taught your kids how to be thankful. In a day where kids are overindulged and fairly self-centered it's hard to know if you've taught this important lesson. Or more importantly, if the lesson has been received and applied. It was the coolest thing to watch them be so excited and share in each others excitement as they opened their gifts. Watching them was definitely my favorite gift.

My other favorite gift, was getting to sing with my husband at the Christmas Eve service at our church, maybe I'll post the video of it (if I can figure out how) a little later.

I hope your "gifts" were as sweet as mine...Merry Christmas!