Waterpark fun

A few pics from the Waterpark this weekend, some MUCH NEEDED time away with the familia...

TRYING to count it all as joy...trying being the key word here...

This past week has started a new chapter in my life, one I never thought would be included in my book. It has been a wake up call, a reminder (as if I really needed one) to how cruel this world can really be. How people can ever make it though suffering and trials without having hope in our Savior, is beyond me. He is the only reason I am able to move forward, trusting there is a plan. Looking back on trials in my life, as hard as it was to go through them, as much as it hurt at the time, I believe I truly came out of it ALL a better person. My suffering made me draw nearer to Him, and that can only result in a positive outcome...if you get my drift. I mean, the outcome may not be what you want, but ultimately He knows better than we. I have noticed that the closer I become with God, the more I know Him, the more the world is against me. I think that is probably true for all Christians who really do TRY their best to live for Him.

This is the verse that spoke to me...

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

It's from the book of James...
and while it sounds like a great idea, to count all suffering as joy (such a perfect, Christ-like idea), it is definitely easier said than done. So, I am trying my best to count it all as joy, but even if I don't succeed, I know my Father is here with me, helping me/us through, and in the end of this trial, I know I will be able to look back and see how He walked me/us through...I will owe ALL the praise to The Famous One. :-)

my reminder...

I am nothing. I am unworthy of His mercy, His healing, and His grace.
But, He continues to fill me with ALL of this, anyway.
I am thankful that even on the darkest days, the Lord holds steadfast to me.
He is amazing. He is strong. He is my true Father.
I am thankful the Lord knows our heartbreaking stories long before we ever reach the reality of them. You cry out to Him, but He already knows. I am even more thankful that He already has a plan of healing set in place. I am so thankful that I can find comfort in His name, alone.
His greatness really does shine through in our times of weakness.

If your heart is broken, If you are lost, If you are in despair...cast it all at the foot of the cross, He WILL bear your burden. He WILL restore your soul.

Thank you, Lord, for my reminder today.

Not me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.





Noooooo...this is not my first post since my last "Not Me Monday" post...that, my friends, would make me a slacker. And a slacker I am not.

No. I did NOT use the back of my son's homework and pink craft paper to print out coupons just because I had let my regular computer paper run out .

And no, I am not pretending school is already out for us and letting the kids stay up a little later than usual. I mean, if they stayed up later, that would make them somewhat more difficult to deal with...and I would NEVER do that to their teachers.

I did not feed my husband, who worked a 13 hour day, chips and salsa for dinner just because my dad took the kids out for Chinese and I didn't want to have to cook. That would make my husband start wondering why he ever married me in the first place, and that's silly because I am a fabulous wife.

I didn't allow my kids to watch Stuart Little today, because you know, that cat says the "D" word. Only a sinner of a mother would let her kids watch that filth.

I do not have a weeks worth of mail/paper/bills/fliers/junk stacked up waiting on me to sort through. Again, that would make me a slacker. Which, I already said, I am not.

Last but not least, I did not misread the info on my son's school calender about the day/time of his awards ceremonies. Because, if I had misread it, I would've called his teacher, all in a tizzy about the mixed up days. That, in turn, would have gotten said teacher all in a tizzy as well. I would never stir up drama like that just because I don't double check what I "thought I read". I am a perfect mother, and I'll have you know I would NEVER make a mistake like that.

Nope, not me. And certainly not on a Monday.


Have a blessed week, ladies!