Hmmmmm

Well we had our much anticipated Explore Group a few nights ago.  I must say it looked wonderful and smelled delicious!  I was a little disappointed if I can be honest.  We had a number of people have to back out due to projects/papers/homework which is the downside of having all college students.  Other than lower numbers than I expected it went really well.
It is interesting to listen to people who have no concept of God and those who know God but don't have a personal relationship with Him.  I can't imagine living life without the love, support and security of God.  Their lives are filled with anxiety, questions and uncertainty.  I am not saying that I don't have questions and anxiety, but it is different.  I know how to ease the pressure and can handle unanswered questions because I know God is greater than I.  I guess the difference is the peace I have in the One who controls it all.  Sometimes it is hard to watch my friends who are far from God suffer.  I want so much to give them the gift of salvation but it is theirs to claim, not mine to give.

Teeth, Teeth Everywhere!!

So Joshua has started chewing on his crib.  Since he has had only two bottom teeth it was only making minor scrapes but damaging the crib none-the-less and something had to be done.  I purchased the rubbery ones that slip over the top of the rail and apparently I misunderstood how they were really supposed to work.  Apparently the entice Joshua to take them off and chew on them instead of the rail.  They only worked for a while until they became weapons or were launched across the nursery.  I searched for a cheap  rail cover and after many disappointing tries decided to make my own.  I found a pattern online at another blog site-She's Crafty-and pulled out Old Yeller and began working.  I have not sewn in YEARS and do not have very much skill in the sewing machine area...or should we say practice.  For those of you that don't know Old Yeller is my OLD sewing machine.  It was the one my mom taught me on and I am so thankful for those lessons now.

I learned many important things through this project......
1.  It works out better if you follow the patten exactly.
2.  The pieces fit together better if you cut them out with straight lines.
3.  Stitching in straight lines prevents you from having to do it again because you completely missed the underlying fabric.
4.  Threading the machine the right way actually makes stitches instead of loops.   And lastly...
5. Your one year old is not quality help even if he is standing next to you with puppy dog eyes and rubbing his hand across his chest to sign "please".

So I am very proud to be able to show you something that actually fits over the railing.  I was very excited.  Who knows what I will find to sew next!!

Contentment throughout the seasons

The other day I was laying in bed falling asleep.  I had the window open and a cool fall breeze was blowing in.  It was absolutely wonderful.  I was so excited because I knew fall was finally on its way.  I have been anxiously waiting for fall and getting a little impatient with the extra long summer.  I began to think about how many days of good weather I waste hoping for the best seasonal weather.  How many days go by and I don't pay any attention because I am waiting for what I deem to be the perfect day?
Then my thoughts went a little further and I began thinking about how many days in my life go by because I am waiting for the perfect day?  For example how many Explore Groups will go by unappreciated because I am waiting for the perfect one?  How many days of mommyhood go by unappreciated because I don't feel 100% or because Joshua is fussy?  How many days of reaching those far from God are lost because I didn't lead someone to a relationship with Christ?
I began thinking about how I need to find contentment no matter what the circumstances are.  I shared this with Nate Friday as we drove to the Rocky Mountain National Forest and it didn't take me long to forget my lesson because I had a moment of frustration that made me feel like an awful person.  I was upset because I acted the way I did and Nate was quick to remind me that I was not being content in who I was and one moment of frustration doesn't define who I am.  Wow...my lesson goes really deep in my life.  What about not being able to enjoy my pinecone wreath because I see the flaws?  What about not enjoying my clean house because I know I did not mop the kitchen floor?  What about not feeling like a good mommy because I got frustrated with Joshua's crying or because I didn't feed him a vegetable at dinner.  Oh, I have so much to learn and such a long way to go.  Contentment...doesn't it just sound wonderful?