Threshing Floor

To thresh is to separate the grain from the straw or husks by mechanical beating, with a flail or machinery (web definition).
I did some reading on references to the threshing floor in the Bible. There is some good information here, if you want to read more about it.
The reason I bring all this up, is because the last couple years of my life have seemed like a constant learning process. It seems like I remember life being much easier before this season of my life. I have been a Christian since I was young, but a little over three years ago, my family found a home church, and my faith in God began to grow like wildfire. My relationship with Him is more than I ever thought it could be. So, I have to wonder why, as I grow closer go God, does my life get more complicated. I have come up with two possibilities. #1 Somehow I am not trusting God as much as I think I am, and I am bringing it upon myself or #2 The devil is really working to destroy the bond I have with my Father. I'm not sure which of these it is, but I feel like it may possibly be a combination of both?!
Anyway, i used to be a "drama-free" type girl, but lately, it seems to follow me everywhere.
Philippians 4:13 tells us that with God, ALL things are possible. Not some. But ALL things. So, focusing on this scripture, I realize that it is possible to leave the worry, trouble, stress, and yes, even drama, behind. Hard to do? Yes! Hard to know how to let it go? Yes! But is is possible to do this? Absolutely! Because God is on my side. A new CD I have been listening to says, "We will not fear, Lord...We hope in Your Name". So, today I am turning over a new leaf. I am not going to fear, well, I'm going to try my very best not to fear, I'm going to do the best I can to put my hope in Him. I am going to lay myself on the threshing floor, a holy place, and allow Him to get rid of "the bad, the ugly, the flawed" in me...allow Him to make me better, more faithful, more like Him.
I learned a long time ago that happiness is a choice, not brought by someone or something. I think I stopped making that choice a while back, but I am thankful to be reminded of this and to have another chance to try again. So, not only will I sacrifice myself on the threshing floor, for the Lord to take care of me, but I will do it with happiness and joy in my heart, knowing I have absolutely nothing on this earth to fear. Nothing.
I have to tell you, having nothing to fear, is an amazing feeling.
Thank you, Lord, for this chance.

Week one...accomplished!

The first week of school for all three of my babies went great! I know it's only the first week, but I am praying this isn't too good to be true. Knowing they are loving it, makes me know their teachers are being good to them, and that is a priceless feeling a a parent. I am sad thinking about how very fast they are all growing up, but also proud of the kind of people they are turning into, and knowing I had a small part in that. I am so thankful to God for my blessings. Isabel started PreK this year. I was looking back through some pictures (I didn't start saving pictures on my computer until Joseph was a toddler, so I am missing being able to upload Joseph and Andrews very young days), and found this picture from Isabel's 2nd birthday...I feel like she should still be this young, if not younger!


I hope all three of my babies continue to grow into productive, happy people who will always turn to GOD for ALL their needs.

"Lord, Your Word says, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4). I seek You this day, believing that You hear me, and I pray that You will deliver my child from any fear that threatens to overtake him/her."
Amen!

First day of school

Welp...
So, It is definitely NOT going to be easy dropping/picking up 3 different kiddos from 3 different schools. This morning the routine took forever and a day, but I had to go in with Joseph and Isabel and take pictures (Andrew would've died of embarrassment had I done that with him). Also, when I sat my keys down in Joseph's classroom to snap a couple photos, another mom put her paperwork on top of my keys...it took forever to find them, and made Isabel sort of late on her very first day of school. Off to a great start, huh? The good thing about that is that since we were running late, her class was already lining up to go somewhere and I didn't have a lot of time for "waterworks", so it actually helped me to not have a breakdown. That's a good thing.
So, I don't plan on doing anything productive today. Maybe a few deep breaths as I contemplate on how I got here: a son in 7th grade, a son in 3rd grade, and a daughter in Pre-K. Also, I am wondering if starting Izzy a yr. earlier than she had to was a good idea? She is excited, and she is the one who wanted to go, but, she is my baby. I figure we will see how the first couple weeks go. I can always pull her out, right? Right!
Anyhoo, hope all of you with kiddos starting back today aren't tooooo sad, and I hope you all have an awesome school year!
Here are a couple photos from this morning:
Izzy, Andrew, Joseph

Izzy, insisted on carrying her own backpack even though it weighed a ton!

Andrew and his friend, who we carpool with

Bigger photos

This post is just to try and figure out a way to post so that my photos are larger...they have been showing up so small. I love this picture of my boo & my preciosa on the boardwalk...



And this is the one from the "Color" post I just did...

Color

So, the AGD blog I like to keep up with is doing a post, where we can all paritcipate, about photos with color...I chose this photo, because even though there aren't lots of different colors...I love the colors in the photo. It was one of my favorite pictures from our beach vacation. My daughter and niece were playing and I thought the sky & water were so beautiful...



I only wish I knew how to make my photos appear larger on my blog...anyone?

Happy day...

My big (as in older, not bigger, because she is not) cousin, Em, got married this last weekend. It was short, simple, and beautiful. She is not only family, but a good friend. We grew up together (mostly). She moved around a lot because of her dad's job, but we always found a way to stay close. When I was younger, I totally looked up to her. When her family lived here, I went home with her some. We would always get a pudding pop before she had to go off to piano lessons. My brother, her brother, us, and tons of other neighborhood kids always met up at the "Big Field". We would play spy and she would be code name "Cover girl" and I would be "Fig Newton Head". Hey...I didn't say I was proud about all of our past...I'm just stating the facts. We would play with our Madame Alexander dolls and "Real Babys". We spent countless hours at G-ma's (& with G-ma)...out on the roof, or playing library, or trying G-ma's coffee (I never liked it, so I wonder why I've grown so fond of it the past couple of years). Em taught me quite a bit. And, we got in quite a bit of trouble together. When I was visiting her in Jersey, on one particular (not planned, against the rules, we got in big trouble for ) trip to the shore, I learned the meaning of "lewd". No, we were not participating in it, but we did learn what it was...and we'll just leave it at that. However, I did hear that the guy that was with us appeared on an episode of "COPS" a few years later. NICE! Add that one to the "Stories to pass onto your children"...or not. She gave me a baby shower when I was way too young to be having a baby, she made me feel accepted and ok (even though I really wasn't). She's been there with me through a lot...and I'm so glad she has been. Anyway, those memories are just the tip of the iceberg. There are thirty years of memories with her engraved on my heart. She's a good cousin, mom, & friend...and is going to make a great wife and step-mommy. I pray that her and Jason will always, always cherish each other. I pray that their lives together are nothing short of blessed. I pray that their blended family has many years of happiness ahead. Heck, if he's good enough to her, maybe she'll teach him about lewd behavior...you never know...

So...Congrats to Emily...Jason...and the kiddos...
Thanks for sharing your special day, I couldn't be any happier for you guys...
Live every day with love and gratitude for each other...
Hugs

Salt

Well, we have been back from the beach for a couple of days now. I am already ready to head back. There is just something special about the beach. Don't get me wrong, I love being home, we are so blessed, but the beach is just healing, in a way.
While there, I was shopping and found a plaque that I brought back to my mom. It said this:
"Anything can be cured with Saltwater- Tears, Sweat, or the Sea"
I love that quote, for me, so so true.
It was a week of relaxation,reflection,family time, joy, new experiences, and memories...new memories that were made with my family, and also memories I already had...which included the two separate times each of my grandmothers took me to the beach, years ago...even though they weren't there with me this time, somehow I felt close to them there...I wrote their names in the sand, as to wave a little hello up to Heaven...



Anyway, I am so thankful the Lord blessed us with a vacation, it was so carefree and a much needed time for our family...I'm not saying we deserved it anymore than anyone else, but we've had a heck of time lately.
Here are a few more pictures from the past week...





I so can't believe the Summer is almost over :-( bummer