End of Fall--A Family Update



Sooo, the whole season of fall just went by way too fast for me. I don't know if it's because the weather's been really warm, overall, this season or what. Maybe it's because some days I feel so busy, that I can't catch up with myself--that's sounds strange, but I think my mama friends out there know exactly what I mean.

Anyway, I've been longing for this space to write in again. I've been hanging out on Instagram a lot. I enjoy the friendliness over there and so far, it has been a peaceful social media outlet. However, this blog is my first love and the space the Lord placed on my heart years ago, so I always miss it when things are busy. So, here's some of our life's updates for you.

Family Stuff
*The biggest one ever, that I've hinted at, but haven't gone into great detail over was, this past JANUARY 2017, one of my little boys had brain surgery. (Still can't believe I just typed those words.) But it is true, and God has been so faithful to us and my son is well. You may wonder why I mention it here. Well, it is an on-going healing process with him and even at almost one year out, he sees a team of doctors regularly and has MRIs every 3 months, sometimes closer together if there is concern. So, our family has been learning our new normal since then, and how to live life after something like that. My son's condition is a new lens we see life through, a new factor that influences many of our choices that were unaffected before. Thank you to those of you who prayed and continue to pray for our family regularly. It is a blessing to have you pray, even all these months later.





*My oldest daughter is now a freshman in high school (still continuing to homeschool her) and she is a part of the dual enrollment program at one of our local community colleges--just one class at a time. Anyway, both high school and college in the same breath has done a number on my "mama heart"--it's happy and a little sad at the same time. Watching her grow and thrive is painful, yet beautiful. Just like when she was in my womb, growing and thriving, yet the more she grew the more uncomfortable it was for me, until there was nothing else left to do but to birth her, release her, all beautiful and new into the world. And so it is again. . .and I'm learning, this is all of motherhood--a series of beauty mingled together with pain as our children continue to grow and thrive.





*All the kids (except Baby Q) are swimming once a week and they love it!






*The oldest 3 are in a science club once a month at a local nature park. It has campsites, a playground, a small farm and a nature center, among other things. The little ones and I hang out while the oldest ones are in their class. Those days are so FULL, but are so much fun because there are great memories that come full circle: I remember when my oldest ones were all little and we would go to the same park, nature center and farm. It is so sweet to do it all again.





















*My family is part of the Christmas play this year at church, and practice began back in October.  The title of the play is "Shining Star Search" where the the angels of Heaven are looking for the right talented angel to announce the birth of Jesus. It is a nod toward the old TV show "Star Search", which I had to pull up on YouTube so my kids would know what it was. {Can you guess how old I felt in that moment??} My husband and three oldest children all have roles in the play: my husband is an angel, one daughter is a towns-person, my oldest daughter is the prop manager, and my son is her assistant, as well as Joseph. My son also is the understudy as the host of the show (as in, Ed McMahon). They have rehearsal twice a week and they are having a ball. My little kids go to the rehearsals and sing along and laugh and clap at the right moments.









*We recently took a day trip to visit the Museum of the Bible. It was an awesome experience and we hope to go again.







*Husband is holding steady and is a continual blessing as the head of our home. I totally admire his love and dedication to our family. I admit, I often don't understand the weight of the responsibility he carries in the role God has blessed him with, but I am so grateful. He takes it seriously and that is a blessing and so I pray that I am helpful to him for the rest of our days.





Mama Stuff
*I'm in a stage of life where I realize that my fertile years are more behind me rather than in front of me. That reality saddens me, and although there is so much more I could say here, that's all I will say right now, except that I am prayerful.


*The Lord has been tugging at my heart about Scriptural truths that are a little off the beaten path, so to speak, among many Christians:
Head Covering (1 Corinthians 11)
God's Appointed Times/Feasts (Leviticus 23)

God has been faithful to show how they are relevant to Believers today. One website with a ton of resources for head coverings is The Head Covering Movement, where I've listened to some great, Biblically sound instruction on the matter. If you're interested, please email me and I can share which sermons helped me. Also, I am currently doing a Bible study hosted by The Time-Warp Wife called The Beauty of Jesus Revealed in the Feasts, if anyone else is interested. There are a few other resources that I'm also studying and I hope to share a post on all of this once I'm further along. The Holy Spirit's nudging on these area are driven by Jesus words when He says, If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15).

Many times we as Believers tend to cast aside Old Testament commands and statutes, thinking that they are all done away with or for fear that we are operating in works and not through faith under grace. Or, even with the New Testament, we reason away things as being "for that time" when we don't understand them or when the culture's voice is so loud in the opposite direction. So, I am seeking the Lord for understanding and correct application. There has to be a very good reason that the Holy Spirit of God saw fit to preserve His precious Word for us, including those things that aren't so popular.







*I'm got a new sewing machine!!!!!!!!!!! This has been a goal of mine for a few years now and I'm so excited, hence all of the exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!! I have an aunt who is like the seamstress of the family and I am thankful that she would take time to teach me a thing or two as a young girl. I wish I'd taken more time to learn and keep at while growing up. Prayerfully, my daughters and I can learn together and begin to crank out a few projects here and there.

Well, if you've taken the time to read this all the way through, you are super sweet. Thank you for taking the time to read about my family life. I pray you found something here to encourage your heart.  May you feel the love of the Father upon you.


Comments

  1. I loved reading your family update! I'll continue to pray for your son. I remember when you asked for prayers, but didn't elaborate on what for exactly. Also, I hear you with the "realizing my fertile years are more behind me than in front of me." I turned 40 this past summer and I feel the same way. I can't believe I'm near the end of my child bearing age. I continue to pray as well (for another blessing or else for God to take away the desire for more children if that's His will for me). Have a great week!

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    1. Hi, Bridget!
      Thank you for reading all of what's been swirling around in my mind. :) Thank you for praying for my little boy--I appreciate it. I'm so glad there's another mama that understands my heart about child-bearing. . . our prayers are very similar. Take care; have a great weekend!

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  2. I can't imagine what kind of a roller coaster January was for your family. We had our fair share too with me having a heart attack 10 days after giving birth- though its not the usual kind of a heart attack it has been quite a journey. Your family is beautiful. I don't know how you do it but l struggle with my 5:) l also studied about the head covering and l wear it now . About the feasts my conclusion was they were all pointing to Christ e.g the lamb they killed during the passover, was Christ. And once when Christ came into the picture in the new testament He fulfilled that, He was the lamb to be crucified and thus we do not need to keep the feasts. If you remember on the day Christ died it was around the time for sacrifices and as the priest was about to slay the lamb for the evening sacrifice the lamb escaped because Christ the true lamb had died as the sacrifice. I studied and saw that each one of the feasts Christ fulfilled. He is the complete sacrifice- nothing lacking. I pray God will guide you. Its beautiful when He Himself convicts us. I wouldn't mind if we exchange notes once you are done studying:) Will be praying for you.

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    1. Hi Lee! Oh my goodness....a heart attack?!?!? How are you doing now? I pray you are well! Thank you for your kind words about my family. I take it one day at a time. 😊

      I am thankful for the truth God has shown me about head coverings...it is beautiful... and humbling, too.

      Thank you for your thoughts about Jesus and the Feasts/appointed times. I do agree with you on some of your points... Christ is our Passover Lamb (1Cor. 5:7-8). And since He is the ultimate sacrifice, the very Lamb of God, we no longer need lambs and goats for our sins.

      However, I am learning that "fulfilling" the Law does not necessarily equate to "doing away with" or "getting rid of" the Law. Jesus tells us that He didn't come to destroy the Law or Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17), which means (using my Bible study notes for Matt. 5:17) "to fill out, expand, or complete. It does not mean bring to an end. Jesus fulfills the law in several ways: 1. He obeyed it perfectly and taught its correct meaning; 2. He will one day fulfill all of the Old Testament types and prophecies; and 3. He provides a way of salvation that meets all of the requirements of the law."

      So, I am learning that some prophecies and Feasts have been fulfilled but, some He has yet to fulfill, which is one of the reasons He is coming again.

      I am also learning that the Feasts, even with their fulfillment in Christ, should still be taught and remembered for all of what they represent. Their spiritual meaning is actually central to us a believers, if we take the time to understand them Biblically--as God intended (not the way of the Pharisees or other Jews who do not accept Jesus as Messiah).

      Now, how the Feasts are "kept" or "remembered" I'm still studying and seeking the Lord on. Through out the Scriptures, God says that they are to be everlasting ordinances throughout the generations (for example, in Ex. 12:14, 17, 24 and Lev. 23:14, 21, 31, 41). I do not think they must be remembered the way current observant Jews keep them, as those who do not believe in Jesus as Messiah--or in the same ways as Old Testament Jews did, who did not yet understand Who the Messiah was.

      However, as a believer who has been grafted into the family of God (passage in Rom 11:11-36 about believing Gentiles now grafted into "Israel", receiving the blessing of the Abrahamic covenant of God), with the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, I think it is important to understand and remember the Feasts in their proper context.

      Thank you so much for taking the time to comment; I really appreciate it. I know I wrote a book in response (LOL!), but these things are close and dear to my heart and I am happy to learn and discuss with them others. Thank you so much for your prayers and I will pray for you as well.

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  3. I just turned 42, and I am wondering if there are more baby-blessings to come. I've not yet had this amount of time between pregnancies. I only have 1 in diapers, and she only nurses to go to sleep most days. Life seems to be shifting, and while part of me is ready for it, the other part of me is a little jealous of my friend who is expecting.

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    1. Aww, Jody! I'm in a similar place with one in diapers, who only nurses now when it's bedtime. I will pray for us both during this season of change. God is great and mighty and may have more blessings by way of children in store. And if He doesn't, we know He has been kind and gracious in giving us the little ones we have.

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