Category: Miscellaneous (Page 2 of 2)

Here’s a confession: I’m not much of a dreamer. And here’s what I’ve learned about why:  I get easily disappointed if reality doesn’t match up with my expectations.

This time last year some dreaming was happening. We were coming up on a job transition for my husband and we did not know where we were headed next.  And in our processing of this reality we allowed ourselves to dream.

For the last two years our family was on a journey- one I wrote about a lot on this blog.   We knew God was leading us to NEW but it took awhile to figure out where NEW was. It was a long process of me learning to dream again, being open to CRAZY ideas, and developing a willingness to GO wherever He sent us. And it was a grand FAITH adventure. We pursued some crazy options in exotic places.  In my mind all this dreaming meant God was going to take us somewhere NOBLE – give our family a great big adventure that was international, and cross cultural, far away, oh-so -missionary-like and big.  (It had taken me a lot of hard work, counseling and surrendering to get to that point). And we felt ready. And I sang an old song from childhood, “Mold me and guide me, show me the way. You are the potter and I am the clay.”

But then God, the Potter,  in his infinite wisdom,  He asked us to STAY right here. He wanted to create something new IN US-  HERE-  in our same suburban town where we’ve spent the past 10 years. And though  we love so much here and there was CRAZY provision for us to stay, (see the story hallways-and-doors) honestly, I DIDN’T LIKE His answer. I folded my arms and stamped my foot. I didn’t like it. I wanted to GO. The grass looked greener on the other side.

You see friends, I am a wee little bit stubborn (ask my husband!) I like to have things a certain way.  Can you relate? I often picture myself as a two year-old,   my arms folded and my nose stuck up into the air – my little foot a -stampin’.  I  often resist God’s plans for me and the changes He wants to make in me.  Tell me you’ve been there?

Recently I read Romans 9:20 and like a little ‘time out’ my spirit was convicted….

“But who are you o man to talk back to God?

Shall what is formed say to him who formed it

”Why did you make me like this?”

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?”

Romans 9:20

I guess the potter gets to make the calls.  He is God after all and we are merely clay.  He knows what’s best. He sees the bigger picture.

Maybe this process was more about our hearts being WILLING to go than actually moving across the world.

Maybe it’s more about  WHAT He is wanting to create in us than WHERE He places us.

This passage in the book of Jeremiah really hit home.

“I went down to the potter’s house and I saw him working at the wheel.

But the pot he was shaping was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: O house of Israel {O _fill in your name here__}, can I not do with you as the potter does?’ declares the Lord.

‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ”

Jeremiah 18:1-6

Maybe we’re the pot and we’re marred and He wants to form us into what seems best to him. And maybe that needs to take place right here.

And now- a year later I can see the richness of us staying. Hindsight is 20/20 right? God has developed a new sense of  community in our neighborhood,  my husband and I have new teaching jobs that we really love, our kids are thriving in their school, our church is experiencing new vision and purpose, and we’re seeing friends’ lives be transformed by Jesus.  Life is still hard, though, certainly not without its challenges, and there are still days I doubt (like a dang Israelite).

But today I’m reminded that God has put us in our place, and you are in yours.

Whether HERE or THERE let’s trust that He’s the potter. He’s making something good.

Knowing He gets the final say, right here in the messiness of now, …maybe it’s still ok to dream. 🙂

What is the PLACE God has you in?

Where are you being asked to STAY?

What is God wanting to mold in your life?

It’s been sunny this week which has been refreshing. Apparently I needed a little Vitamin D.  This was written last week on day #9 of consecutive rain. 

It has been raining for like the past 10 days. For reals. I know we’ve been in a drought and all, and I know that we desperately need H20 to refill our lakes, and rivers blah..blah..blah…But people, I have three young children. Young, outdoor-loving, need- to- run- and- ride- bikes- and- climb- things children. I realize I’m such a Californian (You Oregonians have my utmost respect!).

Forgive me for complaining but we’re gettin a little stir crazy over here, SO. OVER. IT.

With” El Nino- The First” a few years back, my former over-achieving mama self was on it. I channeled my inner kindergarten teacher and designed “Rain Camp” for my toddlers.  Spreadsheets complete with art activities, obstacle courses, refrigerator box forts, and themed snacks. I kid you not. It was epic.

I don’t know what has happened to me but that self is gone and this round of #elnino2016 I am just not feeling it. 

I am usually a stickler when it comes to screen time. Friends, we have watched HOURS of television and the boys have played so many video games that the Wii Star Wars Disney Infinity theme song might as well be a Pandora station at our house.

We’ve tried. Really we have. We have had ping pong tournaments, taught them pictionary, and the kids even got inspired by CUPCAKE WARS this weekend and created their own snowmen cupcakes and exhibit. That was fun.

For a moment yesterday there was hope when the sun shone for a whopping 2 hours. The minute I saw sun- the children were lovingly instructed to ride laps around the block and not come back in until they were sweating.

It was glorious until…the wind blew in and the rain began to pour again.

Needless to say, after our two days off of school and four days indoors this active mama was beginning to fidget.  To top it all off our two youngest woke up with sore throats and whiny attitudes one morning.  It was not pretty- lots of correction, bickering, and me nagging them from one thing to the next.

Just when I was about to text Daddy “S.O.S.” and have him come home to rescue our sinking ship I heard music being played from the back room. My oldest boy has a GIFT in music. He’s 10 and currently plays four instruments (the majority of which he’s taught himself). I’ve given up teaching him piano because he plays everything by ear and can compose songs more musically than I can after 20 years of training. Makes me mad.

That particular day though, that sweet oldest of mine began to play the keyboard and it was magical. In no time, he had figured out the melody to a song we listen to all the time in the car: “Be still”.

I recognized it the moment he started to pick out the notes. It was a Seeds Family worship song:

“Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46:10

Within moments- the tense atmosphere in our home had changed. Everyone was quiet and we all began to exhale as we listened to the gentle melody play through our gloomy sky.  And then the littlest one chimed in with her pure little five year old voice and sang along.  I just listened.

The song concluded and I heard the chords transition. The rhythmic pulse of another tune began- it was another of our family favorites: “You’re a good, good Father. It’s who you are, who you are.  And I’m loved by you- it’s who I am”

And over the sink where I was washing dirty bowls,  my eyes filled with tears.

This child was leading  me- leading US in simple, spontaneous ragamuffin worship of our God.  His little dirty fingers on the keys pointing us to Jesus and away from our pent-up angered selves. It was God revealing Himself in the real, ordinary days of life.

“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth our praise!” Matthew 21:16

The power of music. The tenderness of a child.  Lyrics of truth washing over us.

So tomorrow- it’s supposed to rain again.  And this time when I hear the rain pouring down, thanks to my boy,  I’m gonna have a new perspective about how we can spend our day indoors.

–Alyssa

My sweet 6 year old daughter is a planner. Most mornings she walks sleepily downstairs and the first thing out of her mouth is “what are we doing today mama?”  My broad answers never seem to suffice.  She always wants more details. And usually my plans are not exciting enough for her. She doesn’t yet comprehend that grocery shopping, albeit boring, is necessary if she wants to eat her mac n’ cheese later on!

 My Audrey wants to wake up each morning to a new day full of excitement and fun. And she wants to be on the planning committee for this; she wants to orchestrate it.  She gets mad at me when I won’t tell her every detail  of our daily plan. She doesn’t like it when I tell her that she doesn’t need to know sometimes. I’m the mommy, I say. I know what I’m doing. You can trust me sweet girl, I say.

Once again, I see myself in my daughter. I see the mirror of my interactions with God. I am just like her…daily asking “what’s the plan here?” I get frustrated when He won’t tell me. I want to know details, and I DEFINITELY want to be on the planning committee. In fact, I usually think I should just be in charge of the plan!

It’s a new year. A new beginning. And as we look at our coming year, we all want to know the plan. We hope and dream that it will be full of good things, pain-free things, exciting fun things.

Recently, I’ve been reminded by God that He has a plan, that He knows what He’s doing, and I need to trust Him.   The Word promises us that He’s always working in us, through us, for us…and that it is for our good. He has our best in mind. I’ve been refinishing a lot of furniture for my business lately. As I spend time in my garage, repairing old gouges, painting multiple coats of a carefully chosen color, sanding with just the right pressure to achieve a butter smooth finish, then waxing and buffing, I’m struck with how similar the process is to what God does with you and me. He’s refinishing us…making us into the image of Christ. There are times when He fills our broken places to remove gouges that life has brought to our hearts. There is sanding that must be done, with just the right pressure.  Each piece I refinish is different, and requires a different vision, but the purpose is the same; to take something of value and restore its beauty. Restore its usability. Restore its purpose. I see value in it before the work is started because I am the artist. The piece doesn’t declare its value, I do. And I have a plan to bring that value to the surface for others to see.

Our faithful Father in heaven has such a plan for your life in much the same way. You do not declare your value, He does. And He has a plan to bring forth that value; that Christ-likeness for others to see.

I love this promise for us from Isaiah 43:19;

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

This is such a hope-filled promise, one that we can grab hold of. He’s doing a new thing in all of our hearts.  He’s not leaving us where we ended last year, He’s not doing the same old things. It’s a new thing. This year, He has a plan for you. And it’s not just about where you will live but who lives in you. It has less to do with where you work than who works through you. His plan includes your external joy and also the joy He wants to place in you.

This new thing that He is doing, I want to perceive it. I want to be expectant of it, hopeful, patient. I want to trust Him with the plans for my life.

And I want to stop asking ‘6-year-old’ questions, and instead put my hand in His, look up at Him and trust.

He is doing something new in you, my friend, as well.  Be aware of it and be on the lookout for it.  Expect big things from our Almighty. How will you trust our  faithful God today, and in the coming year?  

 -Kallie