Monday Mumblings

Well, last week was a busy week and one in which our household was feeling a bit under the weather. We are still fighting colds, though thankfully no one has gotten the flu. For that we are very thankful.

Last week was filled with lots of meetings, even into the evenings, as well as basketball. Go figure!? I had so many meetings on my schedule last week I am amazed that anything got done.

The basketball team had their first playoff game on Tuesday night. The girls played so well and it was a fun game to watch. They won which moved them on to play on Saturday. Unfortunately Saturday was a tough game. The girls played hard but lost. It was a great season.

My mom came out for a visit beginning on Friday. We were a bit uncertain if she would be able to make the trip due to weather issues on both ends of the flight. She said they got about 8 inches of snow the night before her flight. Then out here, we had high winds. She had a layover in Chicago and at the gate next to hers they cancelled two flights to Philadelphia due to the winds. She was flying into Harrisburg and for whatever reason her flight remained on time. She said it wasn't even that bumpy. We are thankful she arrived safely.

She was able to attend the game on Saturday to see Aaron coach and the girl's play. Her trip also coincided with a memorial service for a man who I grew up calling "Grandpa". It was a beautiful service and tribute to him. Grandpa Kern's daughter is married to my mom's brother, so there is a family connection. At the service there was quite a mix of people I knew in my childhood as well as those I have recently met. At times it felt a bit surreal.

Another newsworthy event of this past week is that I accepted the position of Head Coach for the Girl's Varsity Soccer Team at Lititz Christian. The season starts in one week. So needless to say we are planning to enjoy this week between soccer and basketball. :-)

I hope that you all have a blessed week.

Falling Behind

Well, it is hard to believe that it is Thursday afternoon. It seems to have arrived so quickly and yet it has seemed like a very long week. I have been fighting a headache and sinus cold for about a week and a half. I am still winning but I am not sure for how long. There are a number of crazy illnesses floating around here. I am thankful that so far we seem to be making it through on the healthy side.

The weather has been amazing the past two days. Today it was in the mid to upper 50's and tomorrow is supposed to be close to 70. And the sunshine has been heavenly. (I am not thinking about the weather past tomorrow at this point. I am well aware of the fact that it is NOT spring no matter how it feels today.) It is amazing how warmth and sunshine can affect one's emotional well being. I love it!

As I have personally had a long week there have been moments of great joy. I love that my children can make me laugh about as easily as they can drive me crazy. Those moments of laughter are priceless. I am blessed. And one of the motivating factors to get through this week is that tomorrow night is date night with the most amazing man in my life (I would say the world, but I know there are those of you who would say otherwise). I am so grateful for a man who plans an evening for just us (and even organizes childcare).

This week has also brought moments of personal pain. Some of which I can't share at this moment and others like: when I was placed in a situation where I was shocked and appalled by the behavior of someone who is supposed to love kids and their parents and yet the parents were treated so rudely because he didn't participate in a craft and the reality is that their son has some limitations. I now have to confront that person. Can't we all just play nicely and treat each other like Jesus would want us to?! Is that really too much to ask?! And then there was the confrontation with my son about school. How many times have we had the same conversation? And since we have had it more than once, more than twice, more than three times (you get the point), I feel like a failure. Then there was the conversation in which one of my son's told me about a situation which was for all intents and purposes--bullying. I wanted to go lay the smack down on the kids involved and the teacher (albeit a substitute) for allowing this. I also wanted to figure out a way to empower my son to stand up for himself and not back down (easier said than done for a preteen).

But then I lay at the feet of Jesus, feeling beat up and defeated. He picks me up and reminds me that I am His child. He reminds me that "in this world there will be trouble, but He has overcome." He reminds me that His commandment to me is to "Love my neighbor" not "make your neighbors love each other." He also reminds me that I am not a failure when I am leaning on Him for strength. He has told me to "train my child" and we all know that training is never easy. It requires sweat, tears, and sacrifice. But there is a reward. He also reminds me that His language to bullies and enemies is love and is carried out through prayer for them.

While at times over the past few weeks I feel that I am falling behind or just plain falling down (the Annual Easter Egg Hunt is less than 2 months away) I know that God never does. He is always preparing the way for me. He knows my next step. He knows the next obstacle. He is never caught off guard. I love how trustworthy and faithful He is in each and every life and situation. I can rely on Him to be there when I stumble, and when I fall face down. I am finding that face down is really a good place to be, when it is at the foot the the cross.

Monday Mumblings

WOW, it's Tuesday. Yep, it's going to be one of those weeks.


Last week was crazy. We ended up with a total of 9 basketball games in 6 days. I am not sure what else actually happened last week. :-)


We did finally make it through a full week of five full days of school. That was nice, especially in light of our evenings being jammed full. I love routine. I was about to lose my mind with the craziness and inconsistency of the past few weeks.


Thursday evening we thought the girl's team had finished their season, though there was still a slim chance they could make it into regional play. And we found out Friday morning that they did. So the season continues. Though they do get a nice break and do not have to play again until next week.


We had one free night last week and that was Friday night. So after a much needed grocery store run, we had family movie night. We watched "Over the Hedge", which I actually had never fully seen. It was a cute movie but really it was just great to all cozy up on the couch and be together.


Saturday brought the second games of double elimination tournament play for Alex and Jack. Jack's team won their scheduled game and then turned around to play another, which they lost. However, Jack played amazingly well. He scored, made a free throw, got some steals, rebounds and overall played his best basketball so far. We were talking about how much he has improved over this season. He was disappointed to see his season end. Alex's team then played and they too lost. He also played really well and was sad that the season is over.


Well, yesterday was Valentine's Day and I hope that in some form it was expressed to you that you are loved. I received 11 roses. A tradition that Aaron has started is that when I get a bouquet of roses, Emma gets one. She loves it and so do I. It just makes my heart so happy to see her face light up and the pride in Daddy's eyes. I would gladly take the 1 and give her the 11. I am so richly blessed by the love of an amazing man, four wonderful children, and lots of family and friends. But I loved the reminder of the most amazing love I know in the sunrise that He painted yesterday morning. It was the most beautiful valentine! A reminder of God's greatest act of love: John 3:16.

Food For the Soul

James 3: 17 "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

I read these words earlier this week as I prepared for a meeting. I had been praying and asking God to give me wisdom. I did not want personality to be the driving force of the conversation. (It was a confrontational discussion.) I did not want my ego or any individual selfish need to be the reason I was confronting and asking some hard questions. I truly only wanted God to shine through the conversation. I prayed for wisdom, Godly wisdom.

During my prayer time, which involved perusing and praying through a number of passages, I landed on this verse. It is interesting that the beginning of this chapter in James is all about the power of the tongue. So as I was asking God to reign in my tongue for His glory, I ended up stuck on this verse.

Pure wisdom. Peace loving. Considerate. Submissive. Full of mercy. (I am not known for having an abundance of mercy.) Impartial. Sincere.

As I was preparing my heart I really wanted my heart to be heard. My heart that I felt was in tune with God's. As I worked through some of the issues that I knew would be discussed, I prayed for words tempered with peace and kindness. I prayed for a purity of heart, mind and purpose.

I know God heard my prayers. I know He kept my mouth closed when I would have said something unmerciful. You see I realized too that while this was my prayer, I didn't know how the person on the other side of the table would respond. I didn't know how they were preparing themselves. I could only do what God, through the Holy Spirit was prompting me to do. I know that I was able in kindness to suggest other tactics for this person to try as they responded. I was sincere in my desire to work things out, personality aside.

I have prayed many many times for wisdom. The times when I am in tune with God I look back and see that wisdom as being pure. But how many times have I "jumped the gun" and taken sides in my judgement or been unmerciful and unkind? By using my own wisdom I have hurt others and myself in the process.His wisdom is pure.

I love the filters that God has given us in His Word as we seek Him. As we ask for wisdom in our lives, if the end result lines up with the filter of purity, peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful, impartial and sincerity we can move forward in confidence that our wisdom is of God.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Mumblings

Oh YEA! The Green Bay Packer's won the Super Bowl. I am ecstatic. There was a lot of yelling and dancing in our home last night. (Even after the kids were in bed.)

This last week was another crazy one. But not a lot to report. Just busy.

The boys were supposed to have games Saturday, but we had a quick system move through overnight that caused some ice so the games ended up being cancelled. We were rather lazy for the morning. It was nice. I headed into work to get some things done before Sunday. (I am amazed at how much I get done when I am the only one in the building and I can crank up my music.)

In the evening we allowed the kids to take some of their Christmas and birthday money as we headed to Toy's R Us and Wal-mart. We realized rather quickly that this was a mistake. First of all, we should have done it with each child individually. Too much, "you should get this or that". Also, we found that a few of our children wanted to figure out how to spend it all. If something only cost $9 and they had $20, then they had to find another $11 worth of stuff. Guess what we are going to working on with our kids? Giving, Saving, and Spending.

This upcoming week is one that will probably fly by. We are looking at a total of 8 basketball games this week. However, at the end of the week we should be just about done with basketball if not completely done. I have loved this season for the boys as well as for Aaron, but I am ready for a break from the crazy schedules.

Have a great week.

Food for the Soul

Well, the past week has been up and down. I have definitely been coming face to face with the fact that my heart had become very hard. What really struck me was how quickly it had happened.

God has been softening me and my heart.He has been gently reminding me of His amazing love for me as well as my great need for Him. It has been much like getting on a bike for the first time in a long time. It's a bit wobbly and unsteady at first, but you've done it before so the ability is still there, it's just a bit rusty.

I have gone to the gospel of John and have begun to work my way through this book again. I am taking just a few verses at a time, but with each group of verses I am asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I am asking specifically that He would show me how to live like Christ.

As I write down what I am being shown as well as my thoughts, I am realizing how far I am from reflecting Christ in my life. It would be easy to become bogged down with the reality that Christ is God=perfect and I am human=definitely not perfect. But as I was struggling with those thoughts, God brought to mind the verses of Scripture that speak to "race" we are running, that we are to "press on" toward the goal. I know I will never be perfect here on this Earth, but I will press on and work toward the goal of becoming a reflection of Christ until my time on Earth is done. I want so desperately to hear God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." I want to be faithful to Him and His call to walk in Him.

To sum it up here is a verse I read just this morning:

"Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us,

but our sufficiency is from God."

2 Corinthians 3:5

7 (And 1 week)

Stephen Daniel is my favorite Stephen.

Here are my Top 7 about Stephen:

7. His laugh is pure joy.

6. His love of justice and what is right. (Though this can be an issue of bossiness.)

5. His lisp. (While he does recieve speech therapy to correct this, his speech is still distinctly his, especially when he is excited.)

4. His hugs.

3. His love of books.

2. His sense of humor.

1. His smile. (It includes his entire face.)

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Here are some pictures from his birthday party last weekend:

Intently reading his homemade card from Grandpa and Grandma Maxson.

With his football cake.

His stash of presents. Lego's, a basketball, tools, and a Star Wars planetarium. (Plus a bunch of card's with money to spend.)

Wordless Wednesday