90 %

"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it." By Charles R. Swindoll

This quote sure rings true many times in our life. It can be so easy to be discouraged, but at the end of day the "big" things seem small and the "small" things are forgotten. Hopefully the story about my day will bring a smile to your face.

Woke up refreshed after son SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT (big news around here!)
Made a 9am doctor apt. for his eye infection.
Asked Nate to meet us near the doctor to drop off car for oil change and then go with us to lab to get son's 1 year blood work (call me a sissy, but I don't want to take him alone!)
Drove to pick up Nate and then go to lab- except lab was not in the location I thought and was across town.
Went to lab, walked the three flights of steps- lab was closed.
Came home then out to get RX filled and buy lots of ingredients for fajitas.
Made all ingredients for fajitas- started to eat, and found out meat was bad :-(
Spent 3 hours putting up baby gate that says "easy to install".
Had another squirrel in our ceiling and dirt was falling all over my just mopped kitchen floor.
Made a new stir fry recipe- didn't really like it, but son loved it (repeated saying and signing more)
While making dinner dropped a Tupperware lid on the hot burner- almost set off smoke alarm in entire building- cat ran to the door :-)
Went to pool to cool off after dinner- wondered why it was so empty- started swimming and lifeguard ran over and said "get out quick- the pool is closed- someone just threw up in there" A sign would have been nice. :-/
Run home to take very long shower.
Put son to bed.
Husband decides to run a cable wire from the kitchen up to our bedroom- thus rodent droppings all over my twice cleaned floor.
Forgot to pick up car.

All in all, I am happy to be sitting on the couch about to watch a movie. And honestly I still consider it a really good day. We are all healthy, God gives us our daily needs, we have a nice place to live, and we have each other. I love my life, really I do.

Hoping you find some joy in your day today! :-)

Here I am Lord...

So I am not doing too well with updating this blog and wondering if I will continue. But for now, here is a little inspiration...

I have always had a heart for older people. I really enjoy spending time with people who are so seasoned in life and who have learned so much about the world and humanity. Thus, I always have a need to reach out to older people who cross my path.

I met a wonderful woman when I was in college and attending a seniors Bible study (yes, I signed up for the wrong one, but loved it so much that the 60+ year-old women allowed me to join). She has an incredible life story and is originally from Pakistan but she and he family had to flee to Lebanon when she was a child. She has lived in numerous countries during her lifetime and speaks in a heavy accent.

I kept in touch with her during our years in Annville and now that we are back in the area I make it a point to visit with her once a month or so. A year ago her son passed away and her faith in God was shattered. She is so brokenhearted that she says she doesn't believe in God at all anymore. Her only living child lives a few hours away and she does not seem to have too many friends. But, for some reason she allows me into her home for afternoon visits and enjoys my company. I visited with her last year but, after I had Noah, our visits changed drastically.

The first time I brought the little two month old to her home, she wept. As she held him in her arms she wept for the loss of her own son. Our visits since then have been full of healing and recently, joy. Yesterday on our visit she was playing with Noah and making funny faces. Noah started laughing hysterically and soon enough she followed suit. I have not heard her laugh in over a year. She was overjoyed with him and held/played with him for over an hour.

Every now and then I try to talk with her about God, but mostly I just listen to her sorrow. At one point in our visit, I watched the two of them play and thought "God you are so at work right now... please use us show her your Grace". Our visit ended and she began to tear up when it was time for us to go. I believe in my heart that she felt the presence of God though Noah's love and joy.

My prayer is that we can minister to her during her time of doubt and pain. Isn't that what God does? He loves us and holds us no matter what our feelings are about Him...no matter how much we squirm and fuss... His strong hands hold us closer until we eventually realize that it's by His grace we are saved.

If God can use an 8 month old to show others His love, God surely can use us!

Consider it pure joy...

When was the last time you laughed so hard you felt like you were going to burst? Every time I have one of those wonderful laughs I feel awesome. Before having Noah, I averaged extreme laughing episodes a few times a week. However, I currently average these fits of extreme joy a few times a day. Watching Noah crack up because the cat walks by, I drop his bib on his highchair tray, someone knocks on the door, etc. is enough to set me off.

I spend every waking moment with my child and often spend time trying to get him to laugh, but he looks at me as though I just stepped off a spaceship from Saturn. Yet, when I drop a carrot on the floor while making lunch, hysteria explodes as Noah finds humor in my mishaps. Our little one is always ready for a good laugh. His lack of grudges, stress, embarrassment, and foul moods allow his heart to overflow with joy. His excitement knows no bounds (especially while eating as sweet potatoes spew from his giggling cheeks).

The lesson I learned today- eliminating baggage from my own heart allows much more room for God to fill it with his joy. The sporadic joy that I find in life these days keeps me going. I encourage you to have a good laugh today and allow God to fill you with His joy!

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.