The Glass in the Frame

  

Today I caught my three year old daughter once again taking a peek at a picture of my husband and I.  It was taken just two days before our wedding.  It is still in the original frame. It is still my favorite picture of us.  

I took the frame from my daughter and noticed for the first time that somehow moisture had worked its way in between the glass and the picture.  (This probably happened when my daughter took the picture out of the frame last time she got ahold of it.) I took the picture and glass from the frame and made my best attempt to remove the picture from the glass.  The corner of the picture became a bit damaged in the process.  

I realized if I continued to pull at it that the entire picture would be ruined.

When I realized this it made me think of something our pastor said to us before we got married.  "The closer you two are to God, the closer you will be to eachother."  

My husband and I strive for this in our marriage.   We desire to know our creator more.  We have a wonderful marriage (not perfect) but the moment either of us choose to pull away from God our marriage will get damaged. 

I imagined the glass as a symbol of God.  Our picture (us) fused to the glass forever.  

We can all choose to pull away from God because of sin in our lives, a struggle that we refuse to let God handle, or maybe an attitude of discontentment.  When we pull away from God we are also choosing to damage our marriage.  

The enemy will take that as an opportunity to rip our marriages apart. 

If either my husband or I decided to try to rip the picture from the glass it would be damaged forever.  If we kept at it and completely removed the picture from the glass the picture wouldn't be recognizable.  You might be able to tell that there were two people in the picture.  You might even be able to tell that they were once happy.  In the end all you would be able to see is a ruined picture that neither of us could mend.  

We could take the picture and try our best to fix the damages on our own but our efforts would be in vain. 

  

As you read this you may be thinking of your own marriage. 

 Your picture may be in a frame but the glass is missing.  

When the glass is missing the picture is more vulnerable to ruin. 

Or maybe your picture is in the frame and one of you is clinging to the glass but your spouse has been pulling away from glass for a long time and your picture is damaged.  

Maybe your picture has been ripped entirely from the glass.

There is only one who can make the picture new.  Not the photographer but the one who created the people in the picture. 

The one who created marriage. 

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." 

Psalm 147:3 ESV

If your marriage is damaged seek Him.  He is holding onto you and He desires to make you new.  Pray for your spouse. God desires to heal your marriage.  

A healed marriage brings Him glory. 

God is the ultimate healer.  

If your marriage is unrecognizable and forever ruined....there is hope.  Am I saying that your marriage will be restored? No, though all things are possible for God!  I would love it if all marriages could be restored. Two people make up a marriage.  You can only make the choices for your half. You can't force the other person make good choices. You can choose forgiveness over bitterness with God's help. If the marriage is over cling to your creator.  He is already holding onto you.  He will never let you go.  He is our comfort. 

"For the Lord will not forsake his people, he will not abandon his heritage." 

Psalm 94:14 ESV

When we became the children of the One True God we entered into his heritage...his people.  

He keeps His promises to us.  

He will never leave you.  

"Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." 

2 Corinthians 1:3

He is the God of all comfort.  

Whether you have a happy marriage, an uphappy marriage or you are no longer married...the purpose for all of us is to live our lives according to His purpose.

To glorify our creator. 

It is our choice whether or not we choose to pull away.  

It is our choice is follow Christ or not.  

He never abandons us. 

You can choose Him in the midst of it all.  No matter what arrows are flown your way. 

You can choose to give your marriage to Him.  

He is the only one that can protect it.  

He is the only one who can take a damaged sometimes unrecognizable marriage and make it new.  

He is the only one who can make you new.  

Broken Barriers

A year ago my husband came to me saying that he had been praying and knew that we were called to go overseas for a short term mission trip in the coming year.  I was beyond thrilled! (I had been praying on this as well...not knowing that he had this call on his heart!)  My husband and I had not been able to go on any short term mission trips since high school because of work, getting married and.....having children.

We both knew the Lord was taking us into a new stage in our lives.

We prayed together and asked the Lord where we should go.  The Lord directed us and lead us to a place that is the home of an unreached people group.

 (Unreached people group :A people group is unreached when the number of Evangelical Christians is less than 2% of its population .http://public.imb.org/globalresearch/Pages/default.aspx)

As our trip grew closer I wondered what the Lord would do in our own hearts while overseas.  I didn't think I could make any sort of difference while I was there.  How could I relate to women in a completely different culture than my own?  What stories in my own life could make an impact when we are so different?  How could God possibly use me?  Why was He even asking me to go?  As these questions began to build up in my head, I told myself that God was probably just allowing me to go because he would use my husband.  My husband is so gifted with people and with teaching.  I was just happy to go along as his help mate.

The day arrived for us to leave.  We were going to be gone for ten days.  Our children would be without us for twelve of those days.  My youngest had only been away from me overnight for two nights of his entire life.  My heart was heavy but I knew that for some reason God had called both my husband and I to go.

We loaded up on the first international flight for both of us and learned what it meant to be on a plane for a very.....long....time.

We arrived in country and a journey began that would change our lives forever.  In the country that we visited the men and the women are not together often.  My husband and I spent very little time together on our trip.  Each day held a different adventure for both of us.  

On my first full day in country we were able to distribute sewing supplies and eye glasses to local women. 

 My Teammates 

(Ladies trying on glasses)

 It felt good to be able to give to these women who were using child scissors to cut yarn and fabric.  I felt like I expected to feel...glad to help.  I was blessed to be able to be among these precious ladies and looked forward to getting to know them.  I was also looking forward to seeing how God would use my team mates for His glory.  

On our second day we visited national believers and I was excited to meet fellow sisters!  We ate local food and had a good time of fellowship. 

What I didn't expect was that God would use my story to encourage two sisters in Christ.  Two women who I didn't think I could relate to.  Two women who I thought were so different from me. 

In the first sister's home she shared with us that her family had cut off her running water and electricity when she said that she had decided to follow Jesus.  To make matters worse her family also locked the near by well.  She said that she used to get angry with her family and yell at them when they would persecute her but the Lord had showed her to love and forgive them.  This sweet sister in Christ asked us to pray that the Lord would help her persevere.  

My thoughts went back to a time in my own life when my husband had lost his job and I was halfway through my pregnancy with our second child.  During that time fear ruled over me.  I was so angry that our income had been stripped from us.  In the midst of my ugly attitude, God showed me how to have joy in the midst of trials and to trust in Him to be our provider.  My thoughts drifted back to the present when my dear friend ,who lives in the country, asked us if one of us would like to pray over our sister.  I knew God was asking me to pray for her. (I am not one to volunteer to pray out loud normally so this was a big deal for me.)   I prayed and told my sister in Christ about the passage in Matthew that God showed me during my own time of need.  

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Matthew 6:25-26 NIV

My sweet sister in Christ is facing persecution that I have never known.  She is facing poverty that I had never seen before with my own eyes.  She has young children just like I do.  She works to provide for her family.  She loves her Savior and is willing to count the cost.  (Am I willing to count the cost?) I walked away from her home with a friendship.  God broke down barriers of language, culture and my own expectations.  I had the opportunity to share a small piece of what God had done for me with her.  I am sure I left with more encouragement that she did but my heart was so full of joy.  

The second sister served us a wonderful meal (which we ate with our hands!)  She asked us about our families and we asked about hers.  She told us that her husband was not a believer and asked that we would pray for him.  My friend who lives in country told the story of how my husband came to know Christ after he and I met.  She told her how I prayed fervently for his salvation.  A story I had only recently shared with my friend was passed on as encouragement to our fellow sister.  Our national sister asked if my husband was different now than he was then.  I was glad to tell her how much God had changed his heart.  Once again God broke the barriers that I thought were impossible to break. 

(We were offered spoons since we weren't so great at eating with our hands!)

Our journey continued and God did so much in our hearts. 

 I was so incredibly humbled by my experience.  God used my story to encourage fellow sisters.  It was something I never expected Him to do.  We were able to shine for Him like I never knew was possible.  In the midst of all my imperfection God decided to use me.  A girl from a small town with no big plans for the future.  I don't have anything to offer but He saw me.  During our time overseas God gave my husband and I a passion for the those who have never heard His name.  We came home knowing our obligation to share the gospel of Jesus with unbelievers.  To live a life according to His purpose.  

God can do what we think is impossible.

He can break the barriers that we put up.  

(Fear of talking to our neighbors, friends and loved ones about the gospel.  Fear of travel.  Fear of insignificance. Lack of knowledge. Lack of money.)  

I encourage you to pray, give and go.  

Are you willing to count the cost?  

Are you willing to be obedient to the call that God has given to every believer?  

Are you willing to trust God to break the barriers?

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV 

Celebrating Joy

This week my baby girl is turning three years old.  To celebrate we spent some time together as a family at a great local children's museum.  We had a blast!  

Side note:  Since this was also going to be educational we counted it as a school field trip! Score!

First we were meteorologist. 

 Then we were paleontologist. 

 My future science geek!  Haha!  That face!

 J.J. "I have done some research and it was fascinating!"

He is five years old ya'll!!  Haha! Love him!

My kids are going to be awesome scientist. 

 Then the big kid (aka daddy) decided to join in the fun!

Digging was hard work so we decided to take a relaxing flight.

Side note:  One of the kids also decided that it would be awesome to have a blow out in the above plane.  No names but that little one got a brand new tshirt bc momma rushed out of the house without an extra outfit! 

I'm the best mom ever people.  

After the crazy blow out fiasco was over...dad became a kid again.

(He totally deserved it.  Love him!)

J man was quick to change those tires. 

(Or at least he would have been if they had actually come off the car.)

Apparently if we had lived in 1908 our entire family could fit in a model T ford. 

(I still really want a mini van though.)

 The judge decided the mini van would have to wait.  

 Then we decided to play school.  Irony?

 J.J.'s enthralled students. 

 Joy decided to give teaching a go too!

Daddy decided to teach history class. 

The question on the board...

"When was the war of 1812?"

hee hee

 Teaching was hard work so we decided to hit up the grocery store for some grub.

My happy shopper!  Oh my heart! 

 After shopping we decided it was time for art! 

 Bubble Time!

Tight squeeze!

 By the end of our time with the bubbles, my husband was a pro!

We didn't want you to think we forgot our sweet Gabe!  He was content to suck on his thumb and go along for the ride!

Love that boy!

 

After doing so many jobs in one day...it was nice to nap on the way home. 

-Hadassah 

Sometimes, I am a crazy person.

To say that we have been busy as of late would be an understatement.  I have been looking forward to this weekend for awhile.  Yes, almost every hour of our weekend was crammed packed with activity but they were things we were looking forward to.  Saturday morning activities went smoothly and the ease of the morning decided to stay put in the morning...not making its way into the afternoon.  *sigh*

I am a planner.  It is actually quite debilitating at times.  The feeling of everything must go according to plan or I might explode...is not exactly fun for me.  Sometimes I wish I weren't this way but the fact is that I am.  {God did create me to be a planner after all, but more on that later.}

In beginning our homeschool journey, my husband and I thought it would be great to join a local homeschool association.  I, being the planner that I am, RSVP for the fall social, that the homeschool association was putting on, an entire month before the event.  When looking at our family calender, I did realize it would be a tight squeeze to fit the fall social into our calender but we would make it work.  Since the social started at four we would stay for an hour before leaving for our next activity.  

The time arrived for the fall social so our whole family loaded up in the car and off we went.  We have some great homeschooling friends and were looking forward to getting to know other homeschool families as well.

We arrived at the park, the kids ran to the playground equipment, and within a breath had made instant friends with the other children playing.  

{I was jealous of this fact.  If only I were that brave.}  

{My husband and I are both introverts so take that fact into consideration before you continue reading.}

When we arrived at the park, we watched our kids play and awkwardly waiting for someone to come up to us and make conversation.  A woman, I had met previously, did reintroduce herself to me while my husband was taking something back to the car.  "I'm not invisible!"  I thought to myself while this sweet woman introduced herself before she moved on to welcome the next family.  My husband returned and we made our way closer to where the children were playing.  Another homeschool mom introduced herself and made polite conversation until she had to leave to go assist with the food.  It was now, 4:17pm. 

 "Okay...we still have 43 minutes to make lasting friendships, eat dinner and get everyone loaded into the car before we have to leave."  

{Breath} 

 26 minutes later. 

I am not exactly sure how awkward my husband and I looked standing there watching our children play but it seemed everyone else knew someone at the social.  {We were the newbies.  I am sure the veteran homeschoolers could spot us a mile away.} The time was now 4:43pm and I saw a couple who looked close to our age and had children the same age as ours.  Hallelujah!  But my excitement was quickly diminished when the following thought crossed my mind.

 "Oh no, how on earth did my daughter manage to get in that high swing all by herself?"  

I went over to tend to my daughter and when I came back to my husband, he was now sitting at the same picnic table as the other couple. 

Victory!

  It was now 4:46pm...this was our last chance to at least make contact with another homeschool family and have a conversation about whatever homeschool families talk about.  Somehow we managed to enter into a conversation but the time was now 4:58pm.  I awkwardly explained that we had to leave for church and word vomited the fact that the reason we attend Saturday evening is because we are busy on Sunday morning and don't have the chance to go to service.  I am pretty sure I came across more as an uppity show off all rather than the girl who just wanted to go to church to spend time with her Savior and who genuinely desired to please the Lord and love others. I was sure I had successfully killed any chance of getting out of this evening without melting into puddle of shame. 

My husband mentioned that maybe we could stay to eat and maybe meet a few more people and just go to the early service the next morning but...I refused.  Didn't he understand that any hope of me fleeing this awkward situation meant actually leaving?  Didn't he understand that I was about to emotionally rupture from feelings of being awkward and invisible?  Didn't he understand that it was important to me that we go to church right then?  Didn't he understand that all I wanted was to get out of there and get to church so that everything would continue to go as I had planned?  

At that moment my children started in...

"Mommy, I am soooo hungry."  

"Mommy,  I need a drink."  

"Mommy, why do we have to leave?"  

"Mommy, lets stay and have more fun at the park!"  

If I heard mommy one more time I thought I would scream. 

NO!  We were going to go to church.  We were going to stick to the plan.  We were leaving!  We buckled all the of kids into their car seats and as I got in the car I observed all the wonderful homeschooling families we were leaving behind.  Was I making a mistake? 

The fifteen minute drive to church seemed to take forever with the crying baby in the backseat and my husband and I bickering about the fact that he wanted to stay and I wanted to go.  I felt attacked by my entire family...even the baby was screaming!  I began to say things that were ridiculous to my husband, who by the way was really calm through all the craziness.  The words just came flooding out of my mouth and I couldn't stop them. {Not that I was trying very hard.} I imagined the scene from the movie "Moms Night Out" where the mom is explaining that she has these "moments" that are like the Hulk attacking. 

I was having a REALLY bad moment. 

So.many.words.

  

I was saying things I didn't mean and knew I would soon regret.  

As we pulled into the church parking lot, I no longer even wanted to be there.  "Fantastic." I thought.  "Now I have to put on a happy face and look like everything is just dandy."  My husband in all his wisdom {not sarcasm} told me to head into worship service while he took the little ones to nursery.  As I sulked into the worship center I quickly found a place to sit as the music had already begun.  I couldn't sing.  The entire reason I wanted to come to church was to worship and I couldn't even do that.  

I was a mess. 

 "Why did I get so upset?"  I thought to myself.  A flood of thoughts followed..."I am a crazy person.  I completed lost it on my husband who was just trying to make the best out of our evening.  He didn't deserve the way I had obliterated him with my words.  He didn't do anything wrong.  Why did I want to leave the park so badly? I could have come to the early service like my husband suggested.  Why was it so important that I be here?  To make an appearence?  Does it matter that much to me that I am here on Saturday night so I can "serve" on Sunday morning?  Am I really that prideful? What happened to the girl who desired to serve the Lord because of her love for Him and not for her own self worth?"  Tears filled my eyes.  I couldn't stop them from coming no matter how hard I tried.  I felt like a failure.  I had become the girl who served for her name sake and not His.  It wasn't something I ever thought would happen to me but it did. 

 I had lost perspective of what truly mattered.  

I had signed up to ministries that I felt called to but my reason for being at church that night wasn't for my Savior {even though I thought that was the reason at first.}  The reason I came to church was to be served, to make an appearance, to get in and get out, to check off my boxes and get home.  

The tears were falling down my face and I am pretty sure I had the ugly cry going on.  {You know, the cry that has all the slimy snot involved...yeah...that one.}  

God saw me in the middle of that room, in the midst of my pride and the ugliness.  I wasn't invisible to Him.  I asked Him for forgiveness. He chipped away at my pride and it hurt.  He chipped away the ugliness that was in my heart.  I was so grateful for His love and forgiveness.  As the pastor began his sermon, I tried my best to focus on the message but I couldn't.  I knew I had the forgiveness of my Savior but I had yet to apologize to my husband. So I wrote a note to him on my sermon notes.  

 "I'm sorry I was so crazy."

 "Forgive me?"

 He said..."Always"

My response. 

{I am grateful to God for giving me a husband to love me through my crazy.}  

As our pastor continued his sermon, I was able to focus.  Even though the message of grace has hit my heart so many times throughout my life, God always sees fit to remind me often {probably because I need to be reminded.}  Our pastor said these words...

"Being a christian has nothing to do with what I do but everything to do with who I am in Christ."

Sometimes, I am crazy person.  

Sometimes, I have REALLY bad moments.  

Sometimes, I forget who I am.  

Sometimes, I forget why I was created.  

Sometimes, I forget that I am His...no matter what I do.  

But...

 He gives grace for my crazy moments.

He gently reminds me that I am His. 

He sees me for who He created me to be.  

The fact was that when I entered the doors of our church that I didn't need to put on a face that "everything was just dandy"  I needed to be real with God and with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  God met me where I was at...in the midst of my crazy.  He wrapped me up in His loving embrace anyway. 

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it.  The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Romans 3:20-24 ESV

-Hadassah 

Gerber Graduate Snack Container turned Counting Can

If you saw my other blog post a while back about using gerber graduate snack containers for To Do Ta Done Canisters this follows along the same lines.  Except instead of turning the popsicle sticks upside down you number them and your child places them by the correct slit in the lid.  This project is great for number sense and it also has self storage for the popsicle sticks.  Below are the pictures for this project.  

Happy {Cheap} Homeschooling!

-Hadassah 

Gerber Graduate Bowls Re-Purposed {Counting Sort}

If you are like us with a very hungry one year old in the house we go through a LOT of Gerber Graduates Meals!  I have always saved the bowls for snacks for the kids but with our new homeschooling adventure the bowls became a great way to sort and to help us with our counting skills!  All you need is a sharpie marker!

Happy Homeschooling!

-Hadassah