Merry Christmas!

This Christmas season has proven to be a busy one for me. I am still adjusting to being back in the work force and my free time is pretty scarce these days. I still need to wrap presents, bake, finish decorating and send out my Christmas cards. Ok, ok...I realize I am a little late on a few of these things. There is no need to finish decorating the house, I am not having any guest over anyway. And as far as the Christmas cards..... not going to happen.

So......I thought I would share my card with you. Merry Christmas to all of you!

My Default

It is 3:00 am and I have been awake since 2:15 am. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. So naturally, my mind starts wondering. I guess the right term would be..worrying. I immediately "default" to all that I need to do "when I wake up". Here are some things that were going through my mind.

1. Did I pay the truck payment?
2. I need to finish shopping.
3. Are the kids ok? Did I hear someone call me and didn't realize it?
4. Why is Jeff always on my side?
5. What do I have for Will to eat in the morning?
6. How will we pay all these bills?
7. How will we send Kori to college?
8. Do I hear someone downstairs?
9. Should I get up?
10. Then... the last thing I thought was.... Is God waking me up because He wants to say something to me?

So... I got up. I came down to my desk and started searching for what He may be trying to say. I came across several good things in a few devotions I have, but the word He had for me was found in my Breaking Free, Day by Day devotion book (given to me by my good friend Rhonda).

The scripture reference is Romans 8:6 "The mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the spirit is life and peace". The first thing Beth Moore says in the devotion is " When we do not make the deliberate choice to think according to the Spirit, we "default" to the flesh. You've noticed we never have to wake up in the morning and choose to be self-centered. We default into self-centeredness automatically unless we deliberately submit to the authority of Christ and the fullness of His free Spirit". She goes on to say " When we think according to the flesh, we are often anxious, unnerved, insecure and fearful, not to mention greedy, lustful, jealous, and all sorts of things we were never meant to be as Christians".

Boy....did she peg me this morning. I woke up and my flesh immediately took over. I have to learn to submit to the Spirit first thing when I wake up. Before I default to the flesh.

Well... I am going back to bed now. First I am going to pray some more, then hopefully enjoy a few more hours of peaceful sleep. Sweet dreams.

Back to the real world?

I have been blessed to be a stay home at home mom for 4 and half years. What a true blessing it has been to be home. But now, it is time to get back to the real world. The world where mom's get up early and leave the home to work. The world where crock pots are the most important appliance in the kitchen and the freezer is full of Hot Pockets and frozen pizzas. A world where laundry seems to double when you walk out the door and dishes seem to multiply. A world where laughing with Rick & Bubba is the only thing getting you through all the traffic! If I listened to this world, it would tell me that my job is the most important thing in life and I should sacrifice anything and everything to keep it. This world screams to me to be politically correct and to forget about what is at home for the next 8 hours.

I have to be careful to remember that this is only a job. My heart is at home, with my family. I have not given up my job of being a wife and mother. It will always be my first priority. This job is a means to provide very much needed income for the family that I love. I am a wife and a mother who just happens to be a patient coordinator at a local sleep clinic. Not a patient coordinator who is a wife and mother. My first job will always continue to come first.

So actually, my real world IS at home. It is the place I belong and I look forward to the day when God makes it possible for me to be here full time again.

I am, however, enjoying working again. It is nice to have conversations with adults and use my brain for a change. My job is a blessing from God and I thank Him for it. I pray that He will use me while I am there.

It's Official...

There is something about getting those senior portraits that makes her being a senior... real.



When I looked at this picture for the first time, so many thoughts ran through my mind. "She is so pretty", " I am so proud of her", "That smile cost me a lot of money", "These pictures cost me a lot of money", " Where are her freckles, I didn't tell them to remove her freckles", " I am so glad I didn't talk her into cutting her hair", "Where is my baby, I want my baby back", "Your job here is almost done", "Gosh I'm old", "two down, one to go". All these thoughts keep running through my mind.



When Shawn graduated I couldn't wait to get his picture framed and on the wall. I was so proud and excited. I remember Amber came over and helped me hang pictures one day. When she hung Shawn's portrait she said "now when Kori has her portrait made, move this one over and put hers beside it". I remember thinking..." that will be a long time so I am not worried about that right now". How time flies!



Today, as I look at this picture, I am praying for her. I am asking God to continue to bring back to her mind everything that I have taught her the last 17 years. I am asking Him to give her complete assurance of His will for her life and a desire to walk with Him daily. I am asking Him to protect her and to surround her with people who will love and respect her and share her desire to be Godly. I am even praying for her spouse today. I am asking God to raise him up to be a man of integrity and love. One who is a man after God's own heart.



Surprisingly, I am not sad today. I am sure that will change on May 22nd (day of graduation). It may even change when the announcements come in. But for today, I am excited for her. It is time for Kori to begin the next chapter of her life. I look forward to watching her grow from this point.

Our Horn of Plenty

The Horn of Plenty is a a symbolic, hollow horn filled with the inexhaustible gifts of celebratory fruits. To me the image has always represented Thanksgiving first, but when looked at closer, it represents a bounty. An abundance of blessings that is overflowing, more than enough.

This year has been a difficult one, financially, for my family. We have seen a tremendous decrease in salary due to the decline of the building industry. We have also, like the rest of the country, suffered because of increased gas prices which has impacted almost every phase of our life. It seemed that everything increased except for our salary, which drastically decreased. If you looked at our financial report, you would feel very sorry for our children.


But, this morning, on Thanksgiving, I am thinking about how much we have been blessed this year. Somehow in the midst of all of this, we were able to pay off 4 major credit cards, the Orthodontist and the Oral Surgeon! Praise God! This is something only HE could do. We have all remained healthy, we have not experienced any loss of life in our family this year, no one in my family is in Iraq, my husband loves me, I have friends who care about me, we have a wonderful church family, our home was not destroyed by tornado, hurricane, flood or fire, and I know where my children are! I have so much to celebrate today.


We have been blessed beyond measure. Our symbolic Horn of Plenty is overflowing today. I shared with my children, "Yes, we have struggled this year, but there are lots of people who would trade circumstances with you right now". When I think about the children in the hospital today, and the children who have a parent or grandparent fighting for their life, or a mommy or daddy who is in Iraq, or those children who lost their homes in the fires in California, or the parent who does not know where their child is today, I realize there is no amount of money that can ease that pain.

We are truly blessed with abundance and our horn is overflowing. We have been given more than enough. I hope today you enjoy the blessings of your life and thank the God who gave them to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy 17th Birthday Maddison!

Happy Birthday to my sweet niece, Maddison Briana McBride!
From the moment she was born she has been very special to me.
She acts more like me than my own daughter. I can't believe today
she is 17 years old! What a beautiful young lady she has become.
I love you
Maddie Boo-Boo!

Go...

I am so blessed to be a part of a body of believers who understand The Great Commission.

Today our mission team travels home from Bolivia after a week of leading the lost to Jesus.

This video is a tribute to those who once were lost, but now are found, thanks to those who knew when to go.